Viking Volume 10, Edition 1

Viking

BREAKING BARRIERS.

October 2016 Volume 10, Issue 1

LINE UP

KICK-OFF 4

DROP-BACK

6 8

SHOT TIP

11 EDITORIAL 12

POP CULTURE

13 TEN QUESTIONS 14 INSIDE THE MIND of Danny Sullivan

FIRST DOWN 15 OUR NEW LOOK 26

GREAT DEBATE

42 PLAY LIKE A GIRL

Viking delves into the ongoing struggle towards equality for female athletes.

44 NEW GYM DESIGN

TIME-OUT 22

VIKING TRIES

24 SCHOOL VS SPORTS

26

GREAT DEBATE

28 MAYA DIRADO Viking interviews olympian Maya Dirado on her accomplishments and her plans after Rio.

38 DYING BREED OF THREE SPORT ATHLETES

TOUCHDOWN 16 BREAKING BARRIERS

Viking explores the ongoing struggles of the Afghanistan Women’s National Soccer Team and their fight for equality

31 DRAWING THE LINE

Viking researches the correlation between jock culture and physical violence

47

THE LAST WORD

Quarterback Jordan Schilling (‘17) surveys the field before passing to one of his receivers. The Vikings went on to lose to San Benito 42-14.

Photo courtesy of David Hickey.

Alex Beaudry (‘17) picks up the ball to line up a shot against Wilcox High School. The Vikings went on to beat Wilcox 11-6.

Photo courtesy of Ethan Stern.

Katie Passerello (‘17) finesses the ball back to Valley Christian’s side of the court. The Vikings fell against Valley Christian 3-1.

Photo courtesy of Skylar Burris.

Volume X, Issue 1 October 2016

Staff List

Editors-in-Chief Skylar Burris Steven Marinkovich

News Editors Ben Cleasby Ethan Stern

Features Editor Quinn Knoblock

Photo Editors Haley Chalmers Christian Rider

Design Editors Samantha Guillet Talia Malchin

Columnists Ben Cleasby Peter Snodgrass

Multimedia Editors Ryan Chang Peter Snodgrass

Business Manager Bryan Look

Copy Editor Jamie Cullen

Staff Writers Sabrina Hall Max Jung-Goldberg Hayley Levine Tess Preising Dillon Scheel Nick Smallwood Mara Zenger Videographer Alec Cohen-Schisler Photographer David Hickey Staff Adviser Brian Wilson

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

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

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Logo Font Courtesy of Måns Grebäck

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Viking From the editors Dear readers,

Welcome back!

With a new year comes a new look, and Viking is here to deliver just that. After a great summer, we are back with a new logo and a new overall look to the magazine. Thanks to our new design editors, the magazine’s aesthetic has only improved.

However, not only the design of the magazine looks great; our stories this issue are also innovative. We are excited to start the new year with a new look and a new staff with six additions. We are looking forward to what these new members

will bring to Viking and how their contributions will better us as a publication.

In our cover story, Breaking Barriers, Talia Malchin (‘17), Tess Preising (‘17), and Mara Zenger (‘17) delve into the rising Afghanistan women’s national soccer team.

By profiling two players on the team, reviewing their game in the Bay Area, and looking in depth at the team’s history, Malchin, Preising, and Zenger give an extensive overview of the hardships the team has had to face. Additionally, Haley Chalmers (‘17) and Quinn Knoblock (‘17) use Drawing the Line to research recent

cases pertaining to the correlation between violence and highly-competitive sport participation in college and professional athletes.

Make sure to also read The Dying of Three Sport Athletes, where Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) and Bryan Look (‘18) ask and answer why people are beginning to pick their main sport earlier in their athletic careers instead of playing multiple sports through high school.

We hope you enjoy the first issue of this new era of Viking Magazine as much as we enjoyed making it!

Bleed green and white. Go Vikes.

Skylar Burris Steven Marinkovich

Staff view

On breathalyzing at football games The breathalyzing system implemented during the first football game of the Paly school year was the cause of controversy among students. Students felt as though the system was ineffective and changes needed to be applied in order to uphold a proper, alcohol-free environment.

The majority of students were frustrated that the administration did not properly communicate the new breathalyzing rules, and did not enforce the rules among each individual who attended the game. During the first game of the season there were instances in which members of the administration randomly selected students from the student section to be breathalyzed, causing dissatisfaction among students.

In the week preceding the first game of the season, the rules regarding the breathalyzing of students at the game were vague, and were not effectively

communicated to the students.

While students were made aware that faculty had the ability to breathalyze during the game, the actual process used was not stated clearly and was a surprise to many. As a result of the administration not properly promulgating the protocol, students believed that the administration’s actions were unjust and disrupted the jovial atmosphere.

Very few kids, out of the hundreds that attended, were pulled from the crowd.

However the way they were selected suggested a widely held bias among the administration.

The students that were breathalyzed were having a good time, and very few of the people that were tested had actually been drinking. For those who had not, being pulled out of the stands is embarrassing; it results in judgement from the surrounding parents and faculty.

Some may think that the threat of ran-

dom selection strikes fear in the students attending the games. This would seem to be an accurate strategy to further compel students to follow proper behavior.

The administration does not want to be in charge of suppressing student actions, and instead want to give students the opportunity to make their own choices. However, students believe that this system is unfair because if only selected teenagers are being singled out for suspicion of alcohol consumption, then it is only just to breathalyze all students in attendance.

Breathalyzing should take place at the gate before the start of game, and to every student that enters the stadium. That way, everyone is treated equally.

This eliminates the ability for even a small group to get away with poor choices. This also eliminates the administration’s ability to randomly pull students from the crowd.

OCTOBER 2015

Pop culture grid WHAT DO PALY ATHLETES SAY?

Tommy Smale (‘17) Water Polo

Thorin Haussecker (‘17) Cross Country

Joanna Falla (‘17) Water Polo

Ole Erickson (‘18) Football

Katie Passarello (‘17) Volleyball

Fall or Summer

Summer

Definitely Fall

Summer

Summer

Summer

World Series Champs will be...

San Francisco Giants

Boston Red Sox

Are the Dolphins in the World Series?

Chicago Cubs

Well it’s an even year so...

Favorite NFL team?

Las Vegas Raiders

49ers

The ones that look like penguins

Oakland Raiders

I only watch College Ball

Trump or Hillary

Ivanka

Who are they? Jill Stein

Jill Stein

I’m a Raiders fan

Not Trump

NCAA or NFL

NCAA

NCAA

NCAA

NFL

NCAA all the way

HOT

The National Anthem

Whether you support him or not, Colin Kaepernick has lit the National Anthem issue on fire. For an indepth look at this issue, check out page 40.

San Francisco Giants

Football/Fantasy Football

Summer has ended and Fall has begun, which means the most popular sport in America is starting to crank up. Whether you’re a fantasy football genius or just a fan of the game, there’s football on almost 24/7.

Flex Tutorial

Although tutorial has been renamed “flex”, nothing else has changed from the controversial rules of last year. The tedious and time consuming check-in rules are here to stay, and the sun burning down on the quad until 2:45 is the only thing hot about flex.

The Giants started off the year strong and looked like they were going to continue their even year magic after having the best record in baseball for the first half of the season. After the all star break however, the Giants have gone cold. They have the worst record in the league after the all star break, and can’t finish out games due to sub par relief pitching.

NOT

Viking Magazine sat down with Paly Football’s own Paul Jackson (‘18) and asked him 10 questions. We then also asked his coach, Girlfriend and teammate. Here are the results...

10 Questions with

Paul Jackson

as told to Jamie Cullen

?

Paul Jackson (‘18) Football

Questions

Darrow Hornik (‘18) Girlfriend

Danny Sullivan Coach

Cheese House Panini

Pre Game Meal

Cheese House Sandwich

Eggplant Parmesan

Cheese House Panini

Physics

Favorite Class

Physics

English

Physics

Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC

Way Back by Travis Scott

The Jersey

Teammates

Ain’t No Time by Future Cutting up the field

Goosebumps

by Travis Scott Favorite Thing About Hearing his name Football called all the time Pump Up Song

Bryant Jefferson (‘18) Teammate

Calves

Traps or Calves

Calves

Calves

Calves

Myself, I’m QB3

Favorite QB

Himself

Blaine Gabbert

Jordan Schilling

I’m Colorblind

Favorite Color

He’s Colorblind

Magenta

Blue

Stranger Things

Favorite TV Show

Stranger Things

Christian Rider

Funniest on the Team

Nani Tupou

Razburry Lemonade

Favorite Drink

Aloe

Gatorade

Razburry Lemonade

55%

10%

50%

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Alec Cohen -Schisler

Stranger Things Ty Wilcox

OCTOBER 2015

Inside the Mind of

Danny Sullivan

as told to MAX JUNG-GOLDBERG

ON THE TEAM

ON PALY

Paly so far has been a great experience. The staff and students have been very welcoming to make the transition into a new environment easier than I thought. Paly is an interesting place in terms of environment, academic standards, community, and athletic expectations. Setting the bar high in all aspects of life is something that we strive for within the football program.

ON THE FUTURE

The future is very bright moving forward. This varsity team is laying down the ground work in terms of the standards and expectations for the program in the future. The Frosh-Soph team is learning and buying in, too. Our Frosh-Soph team is currently 4-0 and playing great. My Varsity guys know that once it comes together for us, we can not just compete with anyone, but find ways to win. It is about developing the winning attitude and competing every single day.

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With new systems on offense and defense, there are going to be some growing pains. In saying that, we have some experienced players on both sides of the ball. Our defense in general is something that we feel can help the team win some crucial games. Our offensive line is strong and generates our running game. If those two things can be consistent, we are going to have a great rest of the season.

ON IMPROVEMENTS

Consistency and focus are the two biggest things that we need to improve on going forward. When our focus level has been high, we have played well. The inconsistency with our focus and play has caused the little details in some of our games so far to magnify the score of what the game actually played out like.

ON NEW CHANGES

Some new things we are doing within the program is having theme nights for home games that include a “Green Out”, “White Out”, etc. Having a great game experience for the fans and community is something that we want to have. Students, staff, relatives, and Palo Alto residents will hopefully enjoy their time at a game.

Out with the old...

In with the new...

Viking

Since the founding of the Viking Magazine in 2007, the staff had changed, the adviser had changed, but one thing had not changed: The Viking Magazine flag. As we dive into our tenth year of existence, the current staff decided it was time for the magazine to be revamped and redesigned. We have decided on our new logo and look to use this as a starting point in the overall progression of the magazine. Welcome to the new era of Viking Magazine.

photo courtesy of James Shorin

BREAKING BARRIERS

by TALIA MALCHIN , TESS PREISING, and MARA ZENGER

Women’s soccer has been on the rise since the late 19th century, starting in Europe and spreading throughout the rest of the world.

For some countries, women’s soccer recently earned its place as one of the most popular sports among all ages.

For other countries however, women continue to fight for their right to play.

C

oming from all over the world, the players on the Afghanistan Women’s National Soccer Team came together to play a friendly game and tournament in the Bay Area. Most of the team is made up of Afghan refugees or children of refugees. Six players from the team live in Afghanistan, yet only one was able to obtain a visa to fly out of the country. The team is currently making final roster cuts, and preparing for the 2016 Women’s South Asian Football Federation Cup in November. Their road to becoming a national team has come with many challenges, but the team has stayed strong and never given up.

In 2007, the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee formed the first female Afghan team comprised of only school girls from Kabul, Afghanistan.

That same year, the team played against the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and won their first game in history, 5-0. The team continued on with much success throughout their first year, as they reached the final stage in the second national tournament of Pakistan.

Their success in the tournament allowed them to travel to Germany in 2008 to hold a training camp in an attempt to improve the quality of their program, and later that year, the team traveled to Jordan to participate in the Islamic Countries Women’s Football Tournament. Despite the less favorable results in this tournament, qualifying for their first tournament acted as the first stepping stone on the pathway to the team’s acceptance and support.

This 2016 year marks an important year for the Afghanistan Women’s National Team. The team has received the support from the Afghanistan Football Federation and has hired a new coaching staff. The new coaches plan on preparing the team for their fourth year of participation in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship in India this November. The team is currently coached by its founder, Kelly Lindsey, a former U.S. National team and San Jose CyberRays (WUSA) defender.

Lindsey is assisted by goalkeeper coach

Haley Carter, who is a former goalkeeper for the NWSL’s Houston Dash and an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran.

In a country still recovering from Taliban rule, especially through the oppression of women and their rights, this is a pioneering team that has fought long and hard to play soccer. Under the Taliban, women were restricted from attending school and work. Women were not allowed to partake in social activities, and lived in fear due to threats.

23 year-old Frozan Tajali is an example of a player whose decisions have not been widely accepted in Afghanistan.

She has faced a multitude of threats from people in her community about her choice to be a female soccer player.

“Playing football in a male dominated country like Afghanistan is not easy, the death threats and cultural obstacles that we face... never [make] us feel weak and

Currently, Afghanistan is made up of 34 different provinces, but women’s soccer is only being played in seven of those provinces: Bamyan, Balkh, Kabul, Herat, Sarepol, Ghost, and Jozan. However, the national team continues to encourage other parts of their country to join them and build a greater equality in sports for both men and women.

“Other provinces do not accept women playing… football or other sports,” 23 year-old Hajar Abulfazil explained. “But we try to increase our players in Afghanistan from other provinces.”

Even within the provinces that do have women’s soccer, the idea of women playing sports is still not fully accepted by many people. The players know that changing people’s minds will not be easy, and that they will need to work in order to shift people’s longlasting ideas.

“Living in Kabul... we have a lot of friends from several families.

They have several ideas, and some of them are open minded ideas and some are dark [minded], but everytime I talk with them about education and working, I will comment about football, and how ‘you should let [girls play] football,’” Abulfazil commented.

Many of the people whose minds these players are striving to change are those of their own family members.

Many families are accepting, like in Abulfazil’s case, but often they are also not so understanding.

“It is not easy, because fighting with family and fighting with people is not good,” Abulfazil said. “My mother and father...always taught me ‘you should be like one Afghan girl, one Muslim girl.’ I say, ‘I accept all of the things you say, but I want one thing from all of you, I want to play football because I love football and I should represent my country to all of the world because Afghanistan is like other countries who want peace and to make people happy.’ And my family says, ‘Yes you should go, and we are with you.’ And every time they encourage me and they push me.’”

“My mother and father...always taught me ‘you should be like one Afghan girl, one Muslim girl.’

I say, ‘I accept all of the things you say, but I want one thing from all of you, I want to play football.”

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

-Hajar Abulfazil

never stop us [from] dreaming for our future as women,” Tajali explained on girlpowerorg.com.

Through hardships and obstacles often comes lessons and growth, and Tajali has seen this in her own life while dealing with this persecution.

“Football changed my life and my personality. Football made me a very strong fighter and a strong woman; a woman with passion and goals,” Tajali explained on girlpowerorg.com. “I used football as a tool to stand against all obstacles and problems, which I was and am facing as [a woman] in a male dominated country like Afghanistan.”

Having to fight hard for what you want often makes the end result even sweeter.

The players on the Afghanistan Women’s National Team (WNT) believe that they must do everything in their power in order to earn what they rightfully deserve: the freedom to play soccer.

“When I was selected at the national team of Afghanistan, I was feeling very proud, and [I was] crying,” Tajali wrote on girlpowerorg.com. “It was like a dream come true. I was flying from happiness.”

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Two girls in particular from the team shared their personal stories.

Hajar Abulfazil - Kabul, Afghanistan, 23 Leaving the house to go play soccer is not as simple of a task as it may appear. There seem to be more risks than there are rewards, yet Hajar Abulfazil continues to do what she loves, and stands for what she deserves.

“When you go outside the men look at you like you are food or something, they do not respect you as a woman...It is hard,” Abulfazil said.

She faces these challenges each day in Kabul, Afghanistan whenever she leaves the house.

“It is very hard in Afghanistan to play football as a woman,” Abulfazil said, “the security is not good in Kabul.”

The everyday commodities that we often take for granted, like leaving the house to go out with friends or going to sports practice are not as easily achievable for women in Afghanistan, and they often come with security risks.

“It is dangerous...you cannot just say, ‘Oh I am going to hangout with my friends on the streets...you do not have that freedom. When you are going outside, you are running from security,’” Abulfazil said.

Aside from the physical risks, Abulfazil is on the receiving end of many negative comments about her decision to play soccer.

“Teachers insulted me for [playing soccer],” Abulfazil wrote in an article on girlpowerorg.com, “my sport instructor was my lone supporter.”

Going against cultural norms, Abulfazil has acknowledged that it will take time for people in Afghanistan to fully support and accept many girls’ decisions to play soccer. People have told her that Muslim women are not allowed to play sports in public, and that by doing so she is going against the rules of Islam.

“Football is very new for our people, and everybody is saying you should stay at home, wash the dishes, and cook for men,” she said. “If you are wearing sport clothes and going outside, it is not easy for Afghan men to accept.”

Abulfazil not only plays for the team, but she also encourages other girls to play as well. She travels the world and gives speeches about their team.

“She represents the Afghanistan national team to other people... and explains that soccer is not a bad thing” teammate Nilofar Yaqoubi explained.

photo courtesy of James Shorin

photo courtesy of James Shorin

Nilofar Yaqoubi - Delft, Netherlands, 24 Born in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, 24-year-old Nilofar Yaqoubi is now living in Delft, Netherlands. Yaqoubi left Afghanistan with her family at the age of five, and after traveling through Pakistan, they moved to the Netherlands.

“It was a very hard journey. When we got to the Netherlands, we were reunited with my grandparents,” Yaqoubi wrote on girlpowerorg.com.

After hearing about the Afghanistan WNT, Yaqoubi got in contact with players on the team, had skype conversations about how she was doing, and in 2014 was invited to train with the team in Pakistan.

“I always wanted to play for the national team it was like a dream you know?...it was my first time so I had no idea what’s going on and how it was going to be and how I was going to play because none of us played together,” Yaqoubi said.

Yaqoubi was not able to play in the team’s games during their trip to California due to an ACL injury, but she still traveled down to cheer her teammates on.

“Although I won’t be able to play, I will be there... to be with my team to support them, to get to know everybody and to be part of it,” Yaqoubi wrote via girlpowerorg.com.

Aside from playing soccer, Yaqoubi has pursued a career in fashion blogging, and posts on her website at www.vannillio. com.

“I visit a lot of fashion shows, do some styling and give advice. My goal... is that one day I can have my own fashion line,” Yaqoubi explained.

In efforts to get back on the field with her team, Yaqoubi continues to train, and has found the encouragement she needs from within her team.

“I’m very motivated and think it’s wonderful that our national team is getting a new chance,” Yaqoubi wrote.

OCTOBER 2015

The Teams’ Uniforms The team is sponsored by Hummel, a sportswear company that is based in Denmark, and the girls sport their new-and-improved uniforms with integrated hijabs. The hijabs are connected to the base layer of their uniform, allowing players who regularly wear them to play more freely. The uniforms also include leggings which allow the players to uphold the guidelines of their religion by being covered head-to-toe.

Hummel tried to design the team’s uniforms in hopes of symbolizing the deep Afghan history. The country’s traditional dress style is incorporated into the trim of their sleeves. The team calls themselves “the lions of Afghanistan” and Hummel used this motif in the designing of the uniform, demonstrating the courage the players show each time they walk onto the field.

“We all came from such different backgrounds but our common bond was soccer, and it ended up being a really fun, eye-opening experience.”

-Sarah Shapiro (‘17)

photo courtesy of James Shorin

photo courtesy of James Shorin

Game Against Palo Alto The players on the Afghanistan WNT all met each other for the first time three days before their game against the Palo Alto SC 98G team. Some of the players had played together before, but with the revamping of their team, many of the players were meeting and playing with each other for the first time.

The day before the game was played, the players on the two teams had the opportunity to meet and have dinner together. The players bonded over music and knockout, and had lots of laughs despite the language barrier between some of the players.

“Knowing the players before the game made playing them more enjoyable because we already had gotten to know them and their experiences and what they’ve been through,” Sarah Shapiro (‘17), who plays on the Palo Alto team, said. “We all came from such different backgrounds but our common bond was soccer, and it ended up being a really fun, eye-opening experience.”

The game was played on Wednesday, August 31 at the Cubberley Football Field in Palo Alto, and by the time the first whistle blew, the stands were filled with fans there to support not only their respective teams, but to support all Afghan women who want and deserve to be able to play soccer freely.

Palo Alto scored three goals in the first half and the Afghanistan WNT came back with a goal in the second half. The game ended in a 3-1 win for Palo Alto, but at the end of the day, even if the players forget the result of the game, they will never forget the people they met, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they were able to experience. This was a very impressive feat for the Afghanistan WNT as they had only been playing together for three days, whereas the majority of the Palo Alto team had been playing with together since second grade.

At the end of the game, lots of pictures were taken with opposing team players to remind the girls of the amazing bonds that were formed in just a matter of hours.

“When it came to the game it was a really special day for them, and it was special for us because of that,” Shapiro said.

That weekend, the Afghanistan WNT competed in the AFSO tournament that was held in Dublin, California. The team won all four of their games and went on the win the Championship game 1-0.

The worldwide soccer community is greater than you might realize, with 270 million people who are directly involved with the sport. This number does not include the countless number of other fans who rely on the freedoms the players should have to play soccer, as a form of entertainment. The opportunity to play against another country’s national team is a great honor, and the Palo Alto community will never forget this game. The fact that the Afghanistan Women’s National Team was able to travel down to California shows just how much has improved regarding women’s rights in their country. Although significant, the stories and experiences the players have shared make it evident that more change still needs to come in order for the players to be able to fully practice the freedoms they deserve. photo courtesy of Haley Chalmers

OCTOBER 2015

Tries

Viking Fishing

The Viking staff makes a trip out to Foothill Lake to get hooked on the sport of fishing.

I

SCAN Viking Staff Member Ryan Chang scans the lake for possible casting areas to land a fish.

by RYAN CHANG and CHRISTIAN RIDER

n a time where there are screens all to get snacks for the trip. If you want around us, we often forget the how to eat healthier then you can always beautiful the world is outside of our prepare something quick and easy at house. Shiny lakes, majestic trees, home. On the way back from your long and wildlife all around us. That is trip you will probably want something what fishing is all about. The Viking more to eat. There will probably be a staff located some nearby lakes to try it local restaurant around where you fish out for ourselves that serves great food. Since the restauThere is an old saying that the early rants are so close to the water, they will bird catches the worm. The same saying probably have fresh fish. goes for fishing. Typically, fish bite the Fishing is a long and peaceful promost in the morning. Therefore, for the cess. It all starts the night before you true fishing experience you should try to go out into the water you need to make wake up at five in the morning to fish for sure you have all of your equipment as long as you would like to. ready. Obviously you need a rod, a Since you are waking up so early you hook, bait and a reel, but there is still will probably want something to eat. On more equipment may be required dethe drive there, you can stop by a quick pending on where you are going. You and easy spot to grab food. There are will probably need a weight to help the plenty of fast food restaurants open at bait sink to the bottom of the water and that hour. You can also stop by 7-Eleven a fishing leader to connect the hook to 22 | T H E V I K I N G | w w w . v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

the rod. On top of that you will probably want a knife to cut the lines and bait.

The most crucial material is the bait.

There are many different types you can use. The most popular baits for lake fishing are worms and swimbaits. The more popular baits for ocean fishing are squid and anchovies. You can get all of these things at a local bait shop or at a WalMart.

When going to a new lake, look for the nearest bait and tackle shop. There you can buy rods, reels, fishing licenses, and all sorts of baits, both live and artificial.

You can also ask the workers there what kind of fish live in the lake, and what type of bait they prefer, considering that they probably fish at that lake often. If you are sixteen years old or older then you will need to buy a fishing license. There are also rules on what to do with the fish. If a fish is not long enough then you cannot

HOOKED Ryan Chang feels that he has a fish on his line. take it home and you have to release it (most lakes the fish has to be past 10-12 inches). So if your fish is not up to par, you better not be scared of touching the fish because you’re going to have to unhook the fish and toss it back in the water. After everything is setup and you understand the laws of where you’re going, you are ready to fish.

There are many different types of fishing you can do in the Bay Area. You ccould go to the delta and catch all kinds of salmon. You could go to Monterey or San Francisco and catch a variety of rock fish. This time the Viking staff went fishing in the lake of the nearby Foothill Park.

We weren’t so lucky and got a grand to-

TRICKED Turns out that the “fish” was just a couple of weeds caught on his line.

tal of zero bites. But that is the beauty of fishing. You could have a day where you catch no fish and a day where you catch twenty. You just never know when the fish are going to bite.

Catching the fish is only part of the fun. The reason why fishing is enjoyed so much is the overall experience. You are outdoors and you have peaceful scenery around you. The air is fresh, the lakes are shiny, and the trees all around you are as majestic as you’d imagine. When all of these factors are put together you get a feeling of relaxation and appreciation for the outdoors that you’ve never had before. There is also a lot of down time for you to socialize with your fishing mates,

having a nice conversation next to the lake. Last but not least, the satisfaction of finally getting a bite and landing the fish is incredible.

The benefits of fishing at foothill include that Palo Alto residents get to go there for free. It is also very beautiful.

However, in all honesty, it is not the best fishing spot. A fisherman should always research the lake before going if he is looking for a particular fish or desirable scenery. There are plenty of fishable ponds around the area. Some lakes will even let you rent a boat to take out on the lake. If you are just looking for a place to relax with your friends and family, Foothill is the spot.

Lakes in the Bay Area

Lake Chabot - Castro Valley Parkway Lake - Morgan Hill Uvas Reservoir - San Jose Lake Merced - San Francisco Foothill Lake - Palo Alto

A View from t

by SAM GUILLET and TALIA MALCHIN

I

n this day and age, there are cer- educators–those likely most concerned between people, and not only because tain values placed on varying skills; with the scholastic successes of them- of physical attributes. According to there’s no denying that today’s so- selves and their students–would have Bowers, “It goes back to what you value, ciety puts a stronger emphasis on a similar tendency and inversely value what you enjoy, what you’re passionate academics and job opportunities. school over sports. Teachers at Paly, about and that you put your best effort For example, programming is a however, may challenge this conclusion; into doing the best you can at whatever higher priority academically than fash- among those asked, not a single teacher you choose to do.” ion. Is the same true regarding the com- overtly stated that academics are more Similarly, English teacher Craig Bark, parison between overall academics and important or should be prioritized over who participated in bicycle motocross sports among those most directly (BMX) when he was younger, says promoting education: teachers?

“It goes back to what you value, what you enjoy, that the two are equally challenWhen asked, most student-athging. While there are generally letes agree that excelling at a what you’re passionate about, and that you put successful students and athletes sport would equate in value to your best effort into doing the best you can at what- that do not deliberately struggle excelling in school; though defin either category, ever you choose to do.” initions of excellence vary, the “In that top group of academgeneral consensus among those ics, there are very few [students] -Kathy Bowers, Athletic Director that must balance sports and acawho are just brilliant at everydemics is that each is equally important. extra-curricular activities. thing,” but at the same time, “there are It may seem obvious that a student “There are going to be some people millions of athletes and few elite ones.” hoping to get recruited or planning to where the sports come easy, and some Bark said. eventually make their living off of their people where the academics come Some teachers even go as far as desigsport may prioritize their practice over easy… it’s just they way we’re built,” Ath- nating sports achievements as more difhomework or hold their athletics to a letic director and former math teacher ficult to attain. AP Psychology teacher higher esteem than their general per- Kathi Bowers said. She believes that the Christopher Farina and avid ultimate frisformance in school. A reasonable as- level of difficulty of reaching academic bee competitor says that to be successsumption based off of this would be that versus athletic “excellence” varies greatly ful in either field is a nature-nurture issue.

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m the Teachers Teachers make their living off of promoting education and are students’ main sources of their schoolwork.

Overwhelmingly, however, they exhibit their support toward student athletes and their extracurricular endeavors.

Similar to Bowers, he recognizes that one will have a natural physical or intellectual base to work with, as well as the advice and feedback from others that can help build skills applicable to both areas of expertise.

That being said, Farina believes that “it’s going to be very, very difficult to achieve excellence in sports, because most of them are going to be competitive… It’s a much more select group than what we would consider to be academic intelligence, which has a much wider array of things that you can do and that our society values.”

English teacher Melissa Laptalo describes sports-related success as “much more visually overt”, which she argues could make “the sports realm harder… it’s more black and white about what success would look like, if you’re measuring success by winning or breaking personal records.” Where rankings among athletes and teams can be measured numerically, school rankings more heavily depend on the grading system, which Laptalo points out “can be a little bit more behind the

scenes, and maybe even a little bit more false… people can misrepresent how they’re doing.”

Consistently, teachers have shown not only their acknowledgement of the commitment and the hard work put into sports that are so prevalent among students, but seem to consider athletic achievements as harder to achieve than those of academic nature.

The teachers also collectively agree that sports offer valuable components that otherwise may not have been procured in a school environment. If one considers primitive human activity, society’s priorities are completely different.

“You’re [going to] have more of a balance between what we consider academic intelligence, like knowing which kinds of things grow well, as well as having the physical capacity to to hunt, and work with a team,” Farina said. “Now in 2016 society, a very intellectually-driven society… does value [academic intelligence] a lot more.”

In contrast, Laptalo highlights the contemporary social benefits that team sports offer, recognizing it as one of the biggest benefits in her experience as a member of her sports teams in middle and high school; another one being the gained skills applicable to future professional situations.

“I’d think some of the student athletes are better prepared for real life… where some of the academic [skills are] transferable, being able to work on a team… being able to take instruction, and being able to have a growing mindset… that resilience and that dedication is in any profession, what people want their work-

ers to have.”

Bark also talked about student athletes and stated, “At Paly, I find most of the ones who are the very very successful athletes are also very successful student.”

These teachers see eye to eye on the idea that student athletes are the ones who will truly succeed and are prepared for the real world because they have a good sense of athletic and academic intelligence. Several of the teachers that we interviewed did not always put education first, in fact, their sport may have taken their focus away from school at times.

It is a virtually non debated issue whether or not sports require certain skills; despite their stress on the importance of academics, teachers have shown not only their acceptance of student athletes, but also have exhibited encouragement of pursuing their passion, scholastic or otherwise. They unanimously want students to find something that they are passionate about, and to make sure students put in their best effort at whatever they choose. No matter the focus, to be successful requires a motivation, most ideally sparked by genuine interest and excitement for the activity. The most talented in either area of emphasis will likely be because of a passiown that drives a higher level of commitment.

Some may assume, especially student athletes, that teachers naturally expect their students to prioritize their school work over any extracurriculars. Across the board, however, devotion to your activity–whatever it may be–is of higher importance both to your own life and to that of our teachers.

Students often struggle with juggling both schoolwork and their athletic commitments, forcing them to sometimes prioritize one over the other.

OCTOBER 2015

THE GREAT DEBATE: No. Athletes shouldn’t be penalyzed for leaving home.

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was no free agency until 1976. Even now players cannot become free agents unhen star athletes til they have been in the majors for six become free years, unless they resign with their own agents they are team. often left with an The National Football League (NFL) option of either restricts its free agents whose three-year staying where they rookie contracts have expired, meaning are and trying to win with what they have, their team can match or decline any deal or leaving for a different team where the player signs with another team. If the they may be more likely to win games player were to stay with their team even and championships. If an athlete stays at when they have the legal right to leave, home they keep their fan base, but risk they and the various Players Associations never winning a championship in their would lose negotiating power when it careers. If they leave, they have a new op- comes to both salaries and collective portunity to chase rings, but risk scrutiny bargaining agreements. Players need to from the media and their former fans. instead do what’s best for themselves, Recently, National Basketball Asso- whether that’s staying home or going ciation (NBA) superstar Kevin Durant somewhere else. was left with this decision, and ultimateSome may say that truly good players ly elected to leave the Oklahoma City should win where they are instead of takThunder in favor of the Golden State ing the easy way out by going to another Warriors, a team that was already coming team. Though this makes sense in theory, off the winningest season in NBA history. it doesn’t always make sense in practice.

The backlash against Durant was imme- Players have to be in the right situation diate and harsh. with teammates and organizations in orI believe that athletes shouldn’t be der to win, no matter how good they are. penalized for leaving home because NBA great, Michael Jordan is a good athletes aren’t always lucky enough to example of a player who found himself in be in a position to win championships a fortunate situation with teammates like so should exercise their rights and do Scottie Pippen and coach Phil Jackson, what’s best for themselves. and was able to take full advantage of of Every major professional sports league his circumstance. Other players usually in America has some sort of policy used aren’t as lucky. LeBron James has proved to restrict players’ free agency, particu- himself as an NBA great, but he still had larly at the beginning of their careers in to leave Cleveland in 2010 because he order to avoid them leaving their original wasn’t in a position to win championteam. The owners of these professional ships. Instead, he did what was best for teams believe they can make more mon- himself and went to Miami where he won ey if their young stars don’t leave during two NBA Championships. free agency early in their career.

Although many may disagree, Durant In Major League Baseball (MLB), there likely would never have won a champi26 | T H E V I K I N G | w w w . v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

by BRYAN LOOK

onship in OKC so he exercised his rights and left. Other players need to do the same in evaluating their own situation and making a decision based on what is best for their own career, and not the happiness of the fan base.

At the end of the day, what players chose to do in free agency is their choice, so fans shouldn’t criticize their decision.

We can’t force athletes to stay in bad situations and it’s not up to us to decide whether or not their situation is a good one. Let’s let the free agents be free.

Shaq Diesel In the summer of 1996, Shaquille O’Neal made the decision to leave the Orlando Magic after just four seasons in favor of joining the Los Angeles Lakers. O’Neal teamed up with Kobe Bryant in LA and the two of them went on to win three NBA Championships. O’Neal’s decision was an important one in NBA history and O’Neal’s success set precedent for free agents in the future.

Should AtHLetes Be Critcized

For Leaving Their Team?

Yes. Professional athletes have an obligation to stay with the team that put their faith in them.

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by ETHAN STERN

hat does a professional athlete resemble? Is it his or her statistics?

Is it the amount of championship rings they won? I say nay. What matters in the long run is what type of legacy the athlete leaves the game with. The ones that are never forgotten are the ones that looked adversity in the eyes and did not back down. The athletes whose legacy is merely temporary are the ones that dodged any sign of struggle by “taking their talents to South Beach” et cetera.

The Big Fundamental After 19 years of service for the San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan has solified himself as a life time icon for the the Spurs.

At some point in the history of professional sports, there was a depletion in the integrity of these superstar athletes.

What happened to the honor of sticking with one team for the long haul. By analyzing the differences between today’s professional sports and the professional sports of yesteryear, this change is quite abundant and it’s effects are clear to see when it comes to not only competition but how we as fans watch the game.

Staying with a team shows loyalty and allows the athlete to create a true connection with a franchise, even when a player doesn’t achieve the fame and heights of those who left in the pursuit of championships. Athletes like this build strong relationships with the city and fans that leaves behind a true legacy. Such as AS Roma forward Francesco Totti, who has been on the club since 1992. He may never be known as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but he hold the dearest spot in just about every Roma fan’s heart and along the way cumulated countless team records.

He has become the epitome of loyal legend and should be the archetype for all professional athletes who are just breaking through to the professional level.

Every athlete in the world has dreams and ambitions of being on the biggest stage and winning the biggest trophies and rings possible, so why shouldn’t all the greatest players play on whatever team gives them the best chance of winning the most games at the end of the season? I’ll tell you why: Because the most important part of becom-

The Captain Derek Jeter was in the MLB for 20 years and stayed with the New York Yankees for all 20 of them. ing a G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Time) is overcoming the greatest adversity and having the greatest legacy. Staying with one team throughout your career will truly cement one’s name into the team’s history books as well as the sport as a whole if one truly is a great. Even if you don’t reach those heights, to be able to sweat, bleed, and cry your team colors will create a bond with the fans like Lebron will never be able to do. That’s what a legend is in my book.

OCTOBER 2015

This past summer, Maya Dirado took home four medals from Rio swimming in the 200m backstroke, 4x200 freestyle relay and the 400m and 200m individual medley, resulting in a great way to end her career.

Photo cour

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OLYMPIC SWIMMER

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MAYA DIRADO

wo golds, one silver and one bronze are the medals that USA Olympic swimmer Maya Dirado took home from Rio this year.

Her first name is actually Madeline, but her older sister, who couldn’t say Madeline, started calling her Maya and it has stuck ever since.

Dirado started her swimming career when her parents signed her up for swim team at six years old, and was surprisingly reluctant at first.

“I did not like it at first but they made me keep going to practice,” Dirado said.

Swimming was not the only sport Dirado played in her childhood. In addition to swimming, she played soccer for six years as well as track for a year in middle school, but eventually chose to pursue a career in swimming.

“I was just better at swimming than any other sport and I started to enjoy it more when I got more competitive at it,” she said.

Dirado went on to swim at Stanford University from 2010 to 2014 and she was named Pac-12 Swimmer of the year when she was a senior.

As a child, Dirado had never dreamed of being in the Olympics. In fact, it wasn’t until two years before Rio that she realized that she could realistically be an Olympic swimmer.

“I actually never thought I would be in the Olympics,” Dirado said. It was in

by SAMANTHA GUILLET and MARA ZENGER

2014 when she thought to herself, “Oh, I have a real possibility in being able to make it”.

Dirado won gold in both the Women’s 200m backstroke and 4x200m freestyle relay, silver in the 400m individual medley, and bronze in the 200m individual medley. There were lots of emotions going through her mind while swimming the last 50 meters of the 200 meter backstroke: the last race that she would swim at the Olympics.

“I [was] in the race for gold and I actually didn’t even know how close I was and I honestly wasn’t that close until the last maybe two meters… I tried as hard as I could and you know, [did] everything I normally do,” Dirado said. “It still seems like it was a blur...but [I mostly felt] just pride and joy. It was funny because I hadn’t expected to win gold.”

Many emotions were linked to representing Team USA for Dirado, and being a part of any Olympic team comes with a lot of respect from the other athletes. “[Representing the U.S.] is a joy.

We have a ton of fun on the team. We are incredibly close and it’s just a bunch of really good people so you are proud to be on [Team USA] specifically... you’re also proud when you see the...reaction that other countries have. There’s just this level of respect that comes with being on Team USA and a lot of people want to be on [this team]...we are the team to beat so it’s kind of cool when you are walking around...you’re

at the pool and you see the respect that other countries have and a little bit of fear honestly too. So that kind of helps you feel excited because we are already incredibly proud to be on the team we love,” Dirado said.

Unlike many athletes, Dirado has not yet decided what she will do with the medals she won in Rio. “My medals are currently in a bag in the basement. I have not done anything ceremonious with them yet, I have to figure out a way to display them,” she explained.

Dirado does not plan on continuing to swim as she will start her job at a business management and consultant company. She thinks that Rio was a perfect way to end her career.

“I am done swimming...I just moved to Atlanta and I start my job at Mckenzie in January so that is a two year thing and then we will re-evaluate if [me and my husband] want to stay in Atlanta or move back to the bay area,” Dirado explained.

Although she won’t be competing in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, Dirado plans on attending the games.

“I plan on going to Tokyo to watch, cheer...eat, and have a good time,” Dirado said.

Dirado may be done representing Team USA, but that will never change her competitive spirit and what she has learned from her time at the Olympics.

OCTOBER 2015

HEROES GET REMEMBERED,

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Legends Never Die

he Hall of Fame: home of the greatest players to have ever lived and a land where legends never die. One legend who will never die remains absent from this sacred memorial and he’s number twenty five from the San Francisco Giants, Barry Bonds. His most well-known record, hitting 762 home runs in his career, will go down in infamy. The great number of 762 homeruns, however, is seen in a dark light, surrounded by the idea that it’s only been created by his illegal use of steroids.

Barry Bonds is one of the greatest players to ever play baseball. Bonds played in the steroid era in which everybody was juicing at the time. Players such as Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, and many more. It’s not like these players were taking advantage because both batters and pitchers were taking steroids, evening the playing field.

Now this isn’t saying that this doesn’t question the integrity of the game, but it certainly proves the point that this wasn’t necessarily cheating. So the argument that Bonds wasn’t even playing on an even playing field is not true. On top of that, nearly everybody who played in that era is excluded from the Hall of Fame. Some of the most prolific players in history are left out of the Hall. The Hall of Fame is supposed to the home of the best players to ever live and they are trying to exclude a whole era.

Bonds was so good that he no longer

by RYAN CHANG and BEN CLEASBY

was playing for a team, he was playing for himself, he was playing to compete among the greatest to have ever played.

In fact, the team he played for at the time, the Giants, struggled to find success with Bonds on the team despite having him hit so many home runs. He wasn’t focused on chasing a World Series, but he was chasing records and looking to surpass B a b e Ruth and H a n k Aaron in the books.

Bonds is undoubtedly a first ballot Hall of Famer just on merit. Bonds was such a feared hitter he was intentiona l l y walked 688 times, the next person to even come close to this statistic is Albert Pujols who was only intentionally walked a total of 296 times.

On top of that, Bonds holds the single seas o n homerun record of 7 3 He is also a 14-time all-star, 12-time silver slugger, and eight time gold glove winner. Even if you don’t agree with the choices he has made in

By The Numbers

762 73 Most home runs in a career

Most home runs in a season

his career, you can’t argue with the numbers.

Every player has ten years of eligibility on the Hall of Fame ballot. Bonds has already been on the ballot for five years, he has already apologized for his actions, he never bet on the game, he never got in any trouble with alcohol. By the numbers Bonds is not just a hero, he is a legend. That status needs to be solidified by the hall. The voters have five more years to get it right.

“God Knows I’m a Hall of Famer” - Barry Bonds

688

Most intentional walks in a career

DRAWING the

LINE

Viking explores rape culture and its influence over athletes and behavior.

Through a variety of different cases, the abundance of athletes involved with abuse and violence is brought to light.

by HALEY CHALMERS and QUINN KNOBLOCK

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he woke up on a gurney in the hospital. Confused as to why she was there, an officer told her she had been assaulted the night before. Feeling like she was in a body that wasn’t her own she was asked to sign papers that read “Rape Victim.” This is the story of rape victim, Jane Doe, who was assaulted

by Brock Turner in 2015; but this is also the story of many other rape victims Rape. The word is thrown around a lot, but what is it exactly? And what is rape culture? Both terms are thrown around frequently, but many people are unaware of what defines rape and rape culture.

However, in light of recent events in relation to rape and sexual assault, it seems important that we educate ourselves on the significance of twenty-first century rape and rape culture.

Rape is the “unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent”.

In simpler terms, rape is any sexual activity that occurs without consent. Consent is an important word too. It’s not that consent is complicated in itself, but often people are unclear as to what consent means in relation to rape. Consent is purely the agreement by which both partners agree to engage in sexual activity.

However, the most important aspect of consent is that it cannot be given under any circumstances when one partner is incapacitated - meaning they are not in a mental or physical state in which they can make reasonable or rational decisions.

This includes being under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or while a person is unconscious.

Now that an understanding of rape and consent has been established, we can more clearly define what rape culture is.

The term rape culture was coined in the 1970’s to describe the ways in which rape and violence - mainly, but not always, toward women - are normalized in society.

Today rape culture has become a more common term as more and more victims come forward and share their stories.

A recent hot button issue in relation to rape has to do with athletes. Several high profile cases of athletes involved in rape and abuse have been recently highlighted in the media. From Ray Rice abusing his wife in an elevator to the now infamous Brock Turner case, athletes have come under increasing scrutiny for troubling reasons.It can be difficult to determine

whether the problem is actually becoming more commonplace, or if increased media coverage and victims’ willingness to come forward have simply made it more visible. Of course, the fact that it’s happening at all is problematic enough that it doesn’t really matter whether the rate is increasing or not. One incident is one incident too many.

A theory circulating the internet is the effect of jock culture on rape culture. The general idea of jock culture is the glorification of athletes and the praise they receive that lead one to believe that they can do no wrong. As a society, we bow down to athletes; they are our heroes, our role models, and our prized possessions.

The power that society gives athletes puts them at higher risk for engaging in questionable behavior which often leads to severe repercussions.

Former college athlete Ray Gallagher recently wrote an article on Bustle titled, “I’m a Former College Athlete Who Believes Sports Culture Breeds Rape Culture.”

“Jock culture holds its athletes on a pedestal.” Gallagher writes. “If you’re the best on the field or the court, you can do no wrong. Male athletes are prized and rewarded for being aggressive, competitive, and physically dominant on the field, behavior that has a tendency to carry over off the field. Athletes are told that ‘being on the team can get you any girl you want.’ Good-looking women are no different than championship trophies.”

It’s this mindset, may would argue, that promotes rape culture. The idea that an athlete’s dominance and physical nature on the field translates to their behavior and mindset off the field is troubling at best, and potentially even dangerous.

As Gallagher writes, to many male athletes, women seem like the prize they win; the mere accomplishment of being an athlete entitles them to whichever woman they want. It also causes them to think that they are entitled because of their status, so any woman is privileged to be with them. It seems to these athletes that a perk of being an athlete is “getting the girl.”

Of course, not all athletes are going to ever think about, let alone rape or abuse others. However, athletes can be at higher risk for that mindset due to their societal glorification than their non-athlete counterparts.

Dr. Kathleen Miller of the University at Buffalo specializes in adolescent athletic involvement and problem behavior. She believes that the intersection of jock and

rape culture can have dangerous conse- they would without their athletic elitism, quences. and may also be the reason they are of“Among well-publicized cases of male ten excused from punishment in cases athletes committing sexual assaults (and of assault and rape. there are a number of such cases), one The recent Brock Turner case - a Stancommon thread seems to be sexually ford swimmer who was convicted of predatory, ‘player’ attitudes toward wom- rape and only served a three month senen,” Dr. Miller said. “Elevating athletes to tence - has people up in arms about athcelebrity status -- whether it’s at the pro, lete privilege. Even though the Turner college, or high school level -- teaches case is currently a hot topic in the media, them that they are special, that rules can it is not the only case the public should and will be bent on their behalf, and that be aware of. Three other cases highlight they can get away with things that oth- the fact that Jock Culture is a wide-rangers can’t. That’s a potentially dangerous ing issue and isn’t only about violence combination.” committed by men against women.

As Miller states, jocks are often placed HOPE SOLO on a pedestal, whether it be in high Although she is known as one of the school, college, or professionally. They best women’s soccer goalies in the are in the public eye constantly, especial- world, Hope Solo’s reputation was forevly male athletes in a school campus set- er affected after being arrested in 2014. ting, where they seemingly monopolize Solo was charged for domestic violence the social scene: everyone wants to be after allegedly hitting her nephew and affiliated with them. This situation further half-sister while under the influence of promotes the idea that athletes are the alcohol one night. Solo states she felt most valuable members of a community. threatened by her 6-foot-8, 270 pound This hierarchy may also have some- nephew, and that he invoked her violent thing to do with an athlete’s likelihood behavior and caused her to lash out. The to act differently in a social situation than nephew stated Solo had drank a lot and 34 | T H E V I K I N G | w w w . v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

was visibly not in the right state of mind.

After a dispute, she struck him several times. Solo’s sister entered the room to defend her son, and Solo began to hit her along with the nephew. Even after Solo’s domestic violence allegations, the U.S. National Women’s soccer did not suspend her from playing, and she was able to participate in the Rio Olympic games.

The law states that individuals charged with fourth degree domestic assault, like Solo, can receive up to 365 days in jail. Although she was held without bail, Solo was only in police custody for three days, and when she was released, plead not guilty to the chargesShe was able to plead not guilty, as she claimed that she was attempting to defend herself from her nephew. Her sister did not show up for the trial, and so because of that Solo will be up for trial again.

While popular companies like Nike dropped Solo from endorsements after her arrest, she ultimately still didn’t face the most severe consequences, which raised public controversy. Numerous similar cases cause us to wonder:do

physicality and aggression on the field translate to similar behavior off the field?

BRITTNEY GRINER & GLORY JOHNSON One of the few names that many are familiar with in the WNBA is Brittney Griner, a 6-foot-8 center who played for Baylor before becoming a Phoenix Mercury star. In August 2014, Griner proposed to her girlfriend Glory Johnson, who is also a WNBA player. In the public eye, the couple seemed happy. That is until April 2015 when Griner and Johnson were caught in the spotlight for a case of

fight brought the problem to the view of the public.

“It is our strong belief that violence has absolutely no place in society, in sports or in this league,” WNBA President Laurel Richie said in a released statement. “As president, it is my responsibility to protect the league and uphold its values.”

Despite Richie’s support of these “values,” this is not the first time the WNBA has been linked to domestic violence.

In 2011, Jantel Lavender kneed her boyfriend in the crotch which lead to a restraining order, followed by a 13-year

cause they shared the same penalties.

Griner pled guilty while Johnson claimed she acted in self-defense; this means that the victim (Johnson) was blamed just as much as the assailant (Griner). The case of a man attacking a woman, which is a stereotype, is a obviously a mold that Griner and Johnson did not follow. Police only arrest both parties when they cannot identify the assailant, in this case both Griner and Johnson were arrested because they were women.

Even in this day and age, people are quick to assume the verdict of a case

“Athletes are told that ‘being on the team can get you any girl you want.’ Goodlooking women are no different than championship trophies.”

-Ray Gallagher assault and disorderly conduct charges that left both in police custody.

The couple went on to get married, but both were required by the WNBA to take individual counseling and were suspended for seven games: the longest suspension in WNBA history. Although their marriage only lasted 28 days, this

prison sentence to Malika Willoughby for killing her partner with a gun. In 2012 Chamique Holdsclaw attacked her ex-girlfriend’s car with a bat and then fired a handgun into it. A week later, Deanna Nolan also beat her wife. The list continues, but the reason the Griner-Johnson case is so important is be-

based solely on gender. However, the worst part is that domestic violence in the WNBA isn’t surprising anymore. How did the hyper-competitive nature of professional basketball affect women in a way that would cause violence?

BRANDON VANDENBURG A former tight end for the Vanderbilt

OCTOBER 2015

football team, Brandon Vandenburg was recently found guilty for campus rape. In 2013, Vandenburg, along with three other players on the Vanderbilt football team sexually assaulted, and took pictures and videos of another former Vanderbilt student. Vandenburg was responsible for sending a photo of the unconscious 21 year-old girl to several of his friends. Although there is not proof that he committed the act of rape himself, he is being held responsible for being an accessory to the crime.

On July 15, Vandenburg was sentenced to 15-20 years in jail. Although it was nev-

sexual assault. In California, Turner could have been sentenced 0up to 13 years in jail for committing sexual assault. Both Turner and Vandenburg were under the influence of substances during their crimes: Turner was intoxicated, Vandenburg was on cocaine. Though both circumstances were vastly different, the two cases have raised questions as to how their sentences were determined.

California and Tennessee law differ in how each state defines rape. This has caused controversy and confusion as to how a state should define its laws in regard to rape. Rape cases tend to be

in jail. The difference between laws in each state is a factor that complicates matters as well.

Each of these individuals are exceptionally talented in the sports they play and have showcased success throughout each of their individual careers. Still, they have all committed crimes that have made the nation question whether they deserve recognition as a leader and athlete in our society. This ties back to the essential question in the Hope Solo case: does physicality and success in a sport translate to actions off the field?

Hope Solo is a two time Olympic goal-

“Among well-publicized cases of male athletes committing sexual assaults (and there are a number of such cases), one common thread seems to be sexually predatory, ‘player’ attitudes toward women.”

-Dr. Kathleen Miller er officially determined that Vandenburg raped the girl, abetting (encouraging or assisting someone to commit a crime), in the state of Tennessee is also considered rape. The amount of time Vandenburg will be spending behind bars, has once again caught the public’s eye since the recent Brock Turner case.

Turner, a former swimmer at Stanford, was sentenced to six months in jail for

drastically different and unique from one another, which has made it more challenging to define the extent to which an individual should be punished for their actions.

CASES IN REVIEW The unique circumstances of each of these cases has made it nearly impossible to make a just conclusion in regards to how long each athlete should spend

ie, and one of the most well known professional women’s soccer players in the country. When he arrived at Vanderbilt, Brandon Vandenburg was said to be “the nation’s [number one] junior college tight end” according to ESPN. Brock Turner was predicted to swim for the US national team and for the Olympic team.

Brittney Griner was on the roster for the 2012 Olympic Basketball team, and was

BY THE NUMBERS The conviction rate of an athlete is

38%

A new incident of athlete crime emerges once every 36 | T H E V I K I N G |

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

2 days

named the number one women’s high school basketball player in 2009.

It may seem clear to some that these athletes have committed crimes because of some connection between success in their sport. Unfortunately, it is not that easy to conclude that these acts have been committed because of success on the field or court.

However, the number of rape and abuse cases associated with successful athletes has led some to believe there is enough evidence to prove a correlation between these two, and has made it more difficult to believe that it is all just a coincidence.

According to Dr. Miller, there may be a correlation between dominance on the field translating to aggression off the field.

“When you learn to use physical aggression as an acceptable or even necessary means of solving problems or achieving goals (like scoring points in a game, or defeating an enemy, or subduing a criminal), it’s not hard for those strategies to spill over into private life as well.”

And so it comes into question whether people actually turn their heads in cases of athlete rape. Being under the microscope and up for public scrutiny many not be “the easy way out.” While Turner only served three months of his six month sentence on account of good behavior, he has also received extreme

public backlash due to his short sentencing. Obviously there are both negative and positive consequences that result from committing a crime this serious as an athlete.

In commentary widely criticized by the public, the judge in Turner’s case decided on a six month sentence seemingly because of his status and promising swimming future, which to many hardly seems like a punishment at all. There’s not doubt that as a result of being in the spotlight, he can no longer live a normal life. However, critics will quickly point out that his victim’s life was also altered forever, because of his actions. So although Turner received such a short sentencing in the judicial system, he will receive the longest possible punishment in the social system: societal isolation.

Some news and media outlets have reported the story in a way in which Turner is painted as the victim. They continue to tell the story that because of one mistake he made, the rest of his life and career will be ruined. Even his father has spoken to these reports.

“That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of 20 plus years of life,” Dan Turner wrote in a letter to Aaron Persky, the judge in Turner’s case.

This attitude sends the idea that the misfortune is not that the girl has been raped, but that the athlete’s future and reputation is tarnished. This idea fosters rape culture and often results in victim

Male student-athletes account for

blaming; in other words: although the girl was raped, she has now ruined any future the athlete once had.

So the answer is not clean cut. Yes, athletes often benefit from the perks of being in the spotlight, but they also suffer.

However, the normalization of athletes involved in sexual assault, rape, and violence in general is increasing, meaning that it is not seen as a big deal or a shock to see an athlete involved in any of these crimes. Ultimately, this is the result of a faulty society: there is a double standard.

This double standard allows athletes to commit a crime and expect to be excused, while when any other person commits the same crime, they are met with harsh punishment.

Is it this system that causes athletes to commit these crimes in the first place?

Thinking they will be excused and exempt from punishment may lead bright athletes to make foolish mistakes.

With the Brock Turner case currently under the microscope, it is now the perfect time to start a conversation about rape, rape culture, and its influence over athletes. Although it seems that this is a systemic problem that will not change with the flip of a switch, over time the appropriate changes to fix it can be implemented. Now that this issue is being brought to light and recognized by the greater public, there has never been a better time to address and act on the problem.

19% of sexual assaults

1 in 3 sexual assaults are committed by athletes

The Dying Breed of Three-Sport Athletes

by MAX JUNG-GOLDBERG and BRYAN LOOK

As less and less athletes continue pursuing three sports into high school and more and more athletes chose to focus on a single sport early on in their careers, Viking explores why this is happening.

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he existence of three-sport athletes at Palo Alto High School is slowly becoming a rarity. It’s becoming more and more difficult to find athletes willing to dedicate themselves to three different sports during the grind of the taxing school year. It seems like more than ever before, student-athletes are choosing to focus on a single sport earlier in their athletic careers, and by the time athletes make it to high school, they are only playing one or two sports.

According to Viking’s research, there will be no athletes that will make three varsity rosters this year. Last year there were three: Justin Hull (‘16), Sophie Frick (‘18) and Max Dorward (‘18). Dorward actually only played two sports at Paly but also played club soccer outside of school. Clearly the amount of athletes that are playing three sports is decreasing. Even being a two-sport athlete is becoming less and less prevalent if you don’t include athletes that play two similar sports such as track and cross country or water polo and swimming. However, as recently as 2005, there were many athletes, male and female, that competed in at least two or three sports. Often they played football and basketball, or other non-correlated sports. Athletes are choosing to focus on less sports, not because they don’t have enough time to compete in multiple sports, but instead because the increasingly competitive field is forcing athletes to narrow their focus to be successful.

“Some people give up sports in order to focus on a different sport; not necessarily because they enjoy it more, but instead because they think they can be more successful playing that sport,” Dorward said. The challenge of playing three completely different sports offered Dorward the variety he wanted. He excelled

in all three sports and was able to keep doors open so that he could focus on a singular sport later in his career. One sport athletes, however, find that by focussing on one sport, it is easier to excell at that one sport.

Nathan Willis (‘18), played both baseball and basketball through middle school, but ultimately elected to focus on baseball. “I always knew that baseball was my sport, so I decided that quitting the other sports would let me focus more on the sport I love,” Willis said.

After committing to baseball yearround, Willis has improved and established himself as a solid contributor to the baseball program. Willis, like many others, has found success by focusing on one sport.

Soccer, for Darrow Hornik (‘18), was her number one priority. “I chose to play one sport because playing soccer was a huge commitment, so I only had enough time to play one sport, and it was the sport that I enjoyed the most,” Hornik said.

Hornik felt that in order to compete in soccer she had to focus her time on soccer solely. It wasn’t always like this, however: gifted athletes used to be able to succeed at multiple sports. Nowadays, it seems things have changed.

Athletes who play multiple sports have to find ways to adjust to the sacrifices they make for each sport. There is no offseason, which gives them little time to sharpen their skills for other sports. Hull played football, basketball, and baseball for all four years as a Paly athlete. He now is a freshman baseball player at Claremont-McKenna College. “[Being a three-sport athlete] was hard at times,” Hull said. “But I never really experienced anything else so I got use to it very quickly.”

The long hours of practice and games take up a lot of time outside of school, but playing three sports keeps athletes very occupied.

“I chose to do it because I really enjoyed playing all three sports,” Hull said.

“It was always a great way to keep myself busy.”

Even while he had to balance a heavy schedule between athletics and academics, Hull was able to find a way to find a balance and succeed in the classroom and on the field or court.

Clearly the excitement of seeing dynamic athletes who play multiple sports is beginning to head in a new direction.

The increased competition is playing a larger role in an athlete’s decision of playing a sport. At a young age, athletes

find a sport they love more than the rest.

After identifying that sport, they devote their time in an attempt to master the necessary skills to play at the highest level. Making the decision so early on in an athlete’s career on which sport they’d like to play limits their options in the future and closes the door on their opportunity to excel at other sports than the one they choose.

Fun Fact During Hull’s senior year at Paly, he was co-SCVAL Outstanding Quarterback, second-team all SCVAL for basketball, and was first-team all SCVAL in baseball.

Famous Three-Sport Athletes

Jackie Robinson, who played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940’s and 50’s, played four sports when he was in college. He played baseball, football, basketball, and ran track while at the University of California, Los Angeles.

OCTOBER 2015

Take a

Knee

by NICK SMALLWOOD

Ever since Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem on August 26th in a preseason game versus the Green Bay Packers, athletes have joined his quiet fight against the oppresion of race and gender alike.

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merica is home to pa- would be selfish on my part to look the triots, a plethora of eth- other way,” Kaepernick said when asked nicities, and all types of why he did not stand for the the anthem. religions, but in recent Even though he has received praise years it seems as though and support from athletes and political some people don’t be- figures alike, Kaepernick has also stood lieve there’s equality at all. The Black heavy ridicule from many around the naLives Matter movement swept the nation tion, and some 49er fans have gone as in 2016, with over 135 African Americans far as to burn his jersey. killed by police “I support Colso far this year. in’s motivation.

Some actors, It’s his method of singers, and action that I take most notably exception to,” lately, athletes, Jim Harbaugh, have taken it Kaepernick’s forupon themmer coach, tweetselves to fight ed out. the cause.

Many peoColin Kaeperple feel the same nick is known way: that Kaeperto most in the nick has the right Bay Area as the intentions, but it failed 49ers is disrespecting quarterback those who serve who let the Ninthe nation and er Nation down. all that our flag Now, howevstands for. Many er, he is seen other athletes and as one of the public figures fare leaders of the in agreement with Black Lives MatJim Harbaugh ter movement. Ever since he refused to about the controversial issue, including stand for the national anthem on August arguably the best football player of all 26th in a preseason game against the time, Jerry Rice. Some people, however, Green Bay Packers, he has been hailed feel much stronger about the method of a hero. action Kaepernick took.

“I am not going to stand up to show “You should have some f------ respect pride in a flag for a country that oppress- for people who served,” former teames black people and people of color. To mate and offensive linemen, Alex Boone me, this is bigger than football and it said to Kaepernick.

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“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way” -Colin Kaepernick

PIONEER Colin Kaepernick, shown here, has received both positive and negative support from many people around the nation.

Students at Palo Alto High School (Paly) are not exempt from having their own opinion too. While some of students believe Colin Kaepernick is a hero and brave for what he is doing, some also believe what he is doing is wrong.

“His actions, however, are disrespectful and in my opinion disgusting that he would show so much disregard for every single soldier that has died for our country,” Ethan Bundy (‘17) said when asked how he felt about Kaepernick’s actions.

While receiving a lot of negative judge-

“You should have some f------ respect for people who served” -Alex Boone ment, Kaepernick has also received an overwhelming amount of support from people across the nation. Influential rapper J. Cole was seen performing with Trey Songz both sporting Colin Kaeper-

REFUSING TO STAND An NFL player for the Houston Texans decides to take a knee during the national anthem.

TIMELINE On August 26th, Keapernick sits during the national anthem in a game vs. the Green Bay Packers.

nick jerseys to show their support.

“I think he cares about some real, legitimate issues that have to be talked about,” Barack Obama, President of the United States said, voicing his support for the courageous act.

In the opening week of the National Football League (NFL) season an abundance of players stood with Kaepernick and decided to take a knee during the anthem. The entire Seattle Seahawks team decided to link arms during the anthem rather than taking a knee, but an action that coincides with Kaepernick’s nevertheless.

“I’m not against the military. I’m not against the police, or America. I’m against social injustice,” Brandon Marshall, a linebacker for the Denver Broncos, said after he knelt during the national anthem in the Broncos season opener against the Carolina Panthers.

It’s not just athletes in the NFL, however; athletes from other sports have joined in the fight against oppression as well. Many different public figures have decided to kneel during the anthem as well, in an attempt to fight against the oppression of minority races, religions and gender.

Women have also joined in the fight

against oppression, and the movement has begun to spread across many sports.

“I am disgusted by the way he’s been treated and the hatred he has received,” Megan Rapinoe, a player for the United States women’s soccer team, said.

Rapinoe has also decided to follow Kaepernick’s lead to kneel during the national anthem and has decided to continue to do so until she feels that there are little to no injustices and oppression plaguing America. Paly students have also taken Kaepernick and Rapinoe’s sides on the decision to kneel during the anthem.

“Not only is he expressing his rights, but he is using his platform as a public figure to his advantage; to protest police brutality and inequality,” Darrow Hornik (‘18) said about Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem.

When Kaepernick first knelt on August 26th, some thought that it would be a short lived moment, but it’s clear that it has become quite the contrary.

The movement across the NFL has only gained support, and it seems as though it will continue to pick up steam until these same athletes believe that African Americans around the nation have equality in America.

Kaepenick kneels on September 1st and is joined by a teammate, Eric Reid.

Brandon Marsahall takes a knee on September 9th in the NFL season opener.

On Sepetmeber 11th (9/11), players from the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and New England Patriots demonstrate during the national antthem.

On September 18th, Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reaid continue to kneel during the national anthem. More teammates join the tandem. In Miami, Arian Foster, Kenny Stills, and Michael Thomas kneel.

More national anthem protests are likely to come from athletes nationwide. The protests likely won’t seize for months.

VOICE Jennifer Hudson sings during the national anthem while at the Super Bowl in 2009.

OCTOBER 2015

Title IX is passed, Supreme Court states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or NCAA challen activity”. legality of T

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PLAY LIKE

A GIRL

Viking explores the running history of Title IX

by SABRINA HALL and HAYLEY LEVINE

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llenges the of Title IX.

1987 1991 2016

Title IX is struck down by Supreme Court case Grove City v. Bell; the new ruling states that programs that do not receive direct federal fuding are free to discriminate on the basis of gender.

The Civil Rights Restoration Act is passed and outlaws sex-based discrimination throughout an entire institution if any part of that instituion recieves federal funding.

The Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools court case is settled and states that students subjected to sexual harassment can sue for monetary damages under Title IX. This is the first case where monetary damages are awarded in a Title IX case.

More than half the students at NCAA regulated schools are women, but they are given only 44% of available athletic opportunites. Female athletes at Division 1 schools get 42% of athletic scholarship money, 31% of the recruiting money and 28% of the total money spent on athletics.

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Upper (Ground) Level

With the new gym construction in full swing, Viking took a behind the scences look at what’s to come.

1. Main Gym - Sunken gym with access from upper and lower levels. All intense Varsity action will be held here

2. Bleachers - Enter from the top level and the bleachers glide down towards the Gym floor. All seats are above the action looking down.

3. Stairways - Stairways all around the facilities give easy access to lower levels and back up

4. Loggia - Shaded loggia to connect the main and small gyms.

5. Pool and Pool Deck 6. Aquatics Center and Locker Rooms 7. Wrestling Room 8. Dance and Yoga Room 9. Small Gym Facilities 10. Bleachers 11. Weight Room - Equipped with everything you need to bulk up 12. Training and Treatment Rooms - Equipped with a built-in ice bath

13. Arobic Fitness Room

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Behind the Scenes

Gym upgrade

by DILLON SCHEEL

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Boys and Girls P.E. Locker Rooms Team Conference Room Offices Storage Units - No team left behind. A storage locker for every

PALY sports team

18. JV Locker Rooms 19. Varsity Locker Rooms 20. General Equipment Storage 17 11

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Fara Marinkovich

Interior

The Viking interior design consultant you can trust!

Design

For enquires contact Fara Marinkovich at faramarinko@gmail.com

Go Vikes1 Would you like to advertise here?

Contact us at vikingads@gmail.com

The Last Word

by BEN CLEASBY and PETER SNODGRASS

We Believe

The San Francisco Giants will win the 2016 World Series. The Golden State Warriors will come back from the 2016 NBA Finals lose and win the 2017 NBA Championship. The Oakland A’s will develop a better farm system. The San Francisco 49ers will bounce back in the next four years under the leadership of Chip Kelly. The San Jose Sharks will win the Stanley Cup next year. Marshawn Lynch will make a comeback to the NFL. The Oakland Raiders will not move away to Los Vegas, and instead stay where they are destined to be, Oakland. We Believe in the Bay Area.

We know these claims are quite outrageous. Yet, we are not part of the Prophecy for no reason. We can predict the future, and hope that our readership has the audacity to see it. The Raiders, Marshawn, and the Giants are all on this issues forecast.

San Francisco Giants It is an even year. It’s hard to debate much more than that. As die hard Giants fans, we believe that the Giants will overcome their atrocious bullpen and create a new influx of runs scored. The Giants after the all-star break have done terribly, their pitching hasn’t lived up to the standard, injuries have plagued the lineup, and the offensive support has been very weak. Other than Madison Bumgarner, who hasn’t even done the best lately, the Giants pitching staff has been underwhelming with no dominant pitcher carrying the team and throwing shutouts. Not to mention injuries have once again torn down the starting roster such as Hunter Pence and Joe Panik. For some reason whenever Hunter Pence gets hurt the Giants seem to only lose. Since when was the game of baseball an individual’s sport and not a team one?

As a great man once said, “Some days you are the pigeon, and poop on the statue, and some days you are the statue and get pooped on.” In the case of the Giants, before the all star break, they were the pigeon, but since the all star break, they have been the statue. The Giants know the talent and potential they have, yet they must find it once again.

And no team is more suited for this than the Giants, especially in the even year.

As we are writing this column, the Giants are half a game behind the Mets for the first Wild Card spot. Feel nervous? Worry no more, because the Giants have it in the bag and we will be seeing all of you at another parade later this year.

Marshawn Lynch

Oakland Raiders

One of the most consistent running backs in the league for the past four years, Marshawn Lynch retired with a few good years left. Notorious for his post game interviews (not much was ever said), Lynch became a cult figure in Seattle and in his hometown of Oakland.

Let’s start with the facts. Lynch has created his own apparel line, set up a shop in Lake Merritt, Oakland, he appeared on Bear Grylls show, and he has taken multiple media interviews (something he has never done before). Plain and simple, Lynch must be bored. Why else would he appear, create, and speak so much?

Next, let’s not forget that Lynch still has some of his best football years left. Take for example Lynch’s appearance with Cal or his domination in a drill against a high school football players; Lynch is still in playing shape and is itching to play.

To put an icing on a very improbable cake, if Lynch were to make a comeback, it is very likely that the Seahawks would cut him. Where would the next option be? Why not Oakland? They need help developing their young running back, and bringing Marshawn to Oakland would make that offense so much more potent, plus it would add an egregious amount to the Raiders’ jersey sales. Not only would the Raiders want him, but Marshawn was born and raised in Oakland and would be super hyphy to stay in the bay.While Lynch signing with the Raiders is probably the biggest stretch of all of our claims, we believe that Lynch will come back and be a force in the NFL.

In the first game of the regular season against the Saints, in the midst of “Who Dat Nation”, the Raiders pulled away a gutsy victory by going for two. In the past, coaches such as Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable, and Dennis Allen, have plagued the team with poor coaching choices.

Then, the front office let down the team and fan base with very poor draft choices such as Jamarcus Russell and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Yet, one thing remained constant: the love for the Raiders from their fan base, “The Black Hole”. So, what message are the Raiders sending if they abandon their fan base and move to Las Vegas, which is arguably the grossest city in America if you are under 21 years old. Similarly, could Vegas sustain the egregiousness that accompanies, “The Black Hole”? We say no.

Oakland is a city full of comebacks.

Take the A’s rise to one of the top teams in MLB two years ago, when they dealt with one of the stingiest owners in baseball who erased the potential arrival of many potential free agents. Or take the Raider’s recent rise to one of the hottest teams in the NFL, where just two years ago they went 3-13. Eventually, the city will take note and launch their own comeback whether it be finding a new location and pledging money to build a new stadium, or renovating the old one.

We believe in the Raiders organization, in its team, in its players and its owners. The black hole doesn’t plan on moving anytime soon and will live on for many more years to come. We believe that the Raiders will stay in Oakland.