Viking Magazine Volume XVII Issue 4

March 2024 March 2024

Viking

Volume XVII, Issue 4 Volume XVII, Issue 4

Volume XVII, Issue 1 October 2023

Title Heretypes Dunking on Stereo Deck here Deck here Deck here Deck page 36

Volume XVII, Issue 4 March 2024

STAFF

would like to thank our sponsors...

The Gaither Family The Collins Family The Vogel Family Cora Ross The Martin Family Berkley Belknap

Editors-in-Chief Tyler Frick, Grace Gormley, Josie Vogel Creative Director Eliza Gaither

Managing Editors Beau Revenaugh Aspen Stitt

Photo Editor Jason Hu

The Yen Family Joanie Haney The Reller Family Jonathan Levav

Online Editor-in-Chief Tyler Martin

Head Columnist Tyler Harrison

Business Manager Katie Yen

The Harrison Family Myrna Gabbay The Steele Family Miranda Junowicz The Frick Family

Social Media Managers Trey Collins Avery Reller

Copy Editor Claire Cho

Staff Writers Emil Bothe, Carter Burnett, Tyler Cheung, Scarlett Frick, Amanda Goody, Kamili Fossati-Moiane, Roan Haney, Luke Joachim, Nathan Lee, Ben Levav, Alena Lotterer, Max Merkel, Dylan Robinson, Evin Steele, Sarah Thieman, Lucas Tung, Jonathan Yuan

Sabrina Meyers (‘27) competes against Los Gatos. Photo by Grace Gormley.

on the cover:

Adviser Brian Wilson

This cover, with art by Grace Gormley, features a stylistic basketball and a female basketball player going for a layup in front. This feature story on the recent rise of women’s basketball can be read on page 36.

Viking Magazine Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Follow us @vikingsportsmag or go to vikingsportsmag.com for current game updates/scores.

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. 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 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 Viking, please contact Viking by email at vikingeds@gmail.com Printing Services 2,500 copies of The Viking are printed, five times a year by Folger Graphics in Hayward, Calif.

Logo Font Courtesy of Måns Grebäck

Letter from the EDITORS Hey Vikings! We are so excited to present the final issue of Viking from this editing team! We have been so honored to get to produce this magazine and distribute it to you all for this past year and we have enjoyed every second if it.

We have a new team coming for our final issue, and we can’t wait to see what the next chapter of Viking will look like with them.

But for now, let’s take a look at this issue.

As always, our Zooms can be found in the beginning of the magazine on page 6, and this issue we feature baseball and swim and dive, both of which have had a stellar start to their seasons.

Next, our intro package dives into Paly’s favorite energy drinks, water bottles, and pre-game rituals that set us up for success.

Then, check out our feature on the stigma behind one of the Olympic’s newest

sports: Skateboarding.

Does your team have a team manager?

Many Paly teams have fellow students who commit time and energy to help our teams run smoothly. Learn about three of them on page 18.

The issue of body image is complicated, and is even more complicated for athletes, whose bodies are a tool for them in their sport. Learn about the nuanced intersections of athletics and body image on page 20.

With the advent of the NIL, the NCAA has recently brought back their college football video game. Check out the interesting merge of e-sports and real sports on page 26.

Paly games often have creative and fun student section themes. Check out some of Paly’s favorite ones on page 28.

Sports are incredible for mental health, and many Paly athletes notice the mental health benefits of playing them. Read

Tyler Frick

about this on page 30.

Sports gambling is illegal in California, but still many people do it, including underage Paly students. What is the loophole they’re taking advantage of, and is it putting them at risk for terrible addiction in the future? Check it out on page 32.

In our final feature and cover story on page 36, we dive into the recent rise of women’s basketball and what it means for the future of the sport.

As you can learn about on page 40, many sports have had recent rule changes. What are these new rules, and what do people think about them?

This issue in Viking Tries, we made a splash by trying diving, with D1 recruited diver and staff member Alena Lotterer showing us the ropes. Read about that (and see our scores) on page 44.

We hope you enjoy this final issue of Viking from this team. We are so proud that we got to present this magazine to you.

Grace Gormley

Josie Vogel

STAFF OPINION

The Genius of March Madness According to sportingnews.com, the 2015 men’s NCAA tournament averaged 9.9 million viewers per game, while regular season games broadcasted nationally only averaged 434,000 viewers.

Obviously in any sport, ratings are going to increase during the postseason.

The games mean more, it’s typically better teams playing, and it’s the finale to the entire regular season. But this difference in viewership is staggering, and it’s consistent year to year.

The college basketball season starts in late November (for both men’s and women’s), and lasts all the way into mid March, before the start of the NCAA tournament. The season drags, and many fans and viewers don’t watch or care until late February or early March. But one thing is consistent, they always tune in during March. Why is this the case? How can a sport that exists throughout four months of the year only get attention during the final three weeks? The answer is simple: the brilliant structure of the

NCAA tournament.

The NCAA tournament contains 68 teams (with 64 qualifying for the first round) and is a single elimination bracket where every team’s goal is to win six straight games to claim a national championship.

The first brilliant aspect of the tournament is that every single conference in Division I basketball automatically gets one team into the tournament. This allows for a huge diversity of teams, due to the myriad of geographical locations, team skill levels, and fan bases all included into March Madness.

The next incredible aspect is that instead of most sports - which cater to the high seeds and do everything possible to get the best teams far in the playoffs - college basketball embraces the chaos, and holds games in neutral stadiums under unique circumstances which creates unfamiliarity, leading to many historic upsets every single season. This not only makes the tournament exciting, it makes

it wildly unpredictable.

The concept of a “bracket” was popularized with March Madness, because the tournament is so unpredictable that the odds of forecasting everything right are astronomically low. This only adds to the allure and anticipation of the tournament, as no one has ever been (and likely never will be) able to accurately predict the results from start to finish.

Finally, though chaos and madness are main themes in the tournament, history shows that it is basically always one of the best teams in the country who ends up winning the championship. This shows the skill aspect of the tournament, and how any of the top teams can win if they put it all together.

Overall, the structure of the NCAA tournament is what makes it the best sporting event of the calendar year, and it draws attention every single season in the month of March.

- Viking

@vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 3

In This Issue...

6 Zooms 10 Intro Package 14 Shreddin’ the Stigma 18 Hidden MVPs 20 Beyond the Mirror 26 Gridiron Gaming

28 Features in the Bleachers 30 The Healing Game 32 Playing the System 36 Dunking on Stereotypes 40 Game Changers 44 Staff Makes a Splash

Junior James Meehan swims his leg of the 400 freestyle relay during Paly’s meet against Los Gatos on Mar 15, which both the boys and girls teams won. Photo by Grace Gormley.

“Quiet for the Start” Kaylie Cho hushes those around her as they get ready to cheer for a teammate. Photo by Grace Gormley.

Photo by Jason Hu

Try to

Hit THIS

Paly baseball beat Los Gatos on Wednesday March 20, 5-0. Pictured: Senior Vinnie Braga pitches the baseball toward a Los Gatos batter.

Eat My

Bubbles

Paly boys swim and dive beat Los Gatos on Friday, March 15, 103-77. The girls team also won their meet on the same day. Pictured: Senior Lachlan Kirby swims his leg of the 400 freestyle relay.

Photo by Grace Gormley

Game Day

by AMANDA GOODY and JONATHAN YUAN

Pregame Rituals with Varsity Athletes

Whether you listen to music, stretch, or have a pep talk, all athletes have a pregame ritual before a big game or meet. We asked some Paly athletes how they like to get hyped before a big game.

Charlotte Barclay (‘26): Field Hockey

Q: What is a superstition that you have about pregame rituals?

A: I always put my left sock on before my right sock Q: What is your favorite pregame snack?

A: A turkey sandwich or Welch’s fruit snacks Q: What is your pregame ritual?

A: I listen to the same songs

Alec Bonnard (‘25): Soccer

Q: What is a superstition that you have about pregame rituals?

A: Wearing a pair of red socks Q: What is your favorite pregame snack?

A: I like to eat a banana before a game Q: What is your pregame ritual?

A: Using the restroom

Katie Spitzer (‘25): Water Polo

Q: What is your favorite pregame snack?

A: Z-Bars and Vitamin Water

Q: What is a superstition that you have about pregame rituals?

A: I like to visualize my plays

Q: What is your pregame ritual?

A: Warm up and stay active

FUELING YOUR

FITNESS

by AMANDA GOODY and JONATHAN YUAN

Before doing a big workout, it is important to make sure that your body has the energy it needs to perform properly. Pre-workout comes in many different forms; some may prefer liquid energy as opposed to the standard pre-workout powder. We were curious to learn the pre-workout preferences of Paly students before a big lift, game, or practice.

Question: What is your favorite pre-workout?

“My favorite pre-workout is

“My favorite pre-workout

Cherry energy drinks be-

Passionfruit Celsius

probably Alani Nu

cause they make me feel

energy is a Mango

because I like the passion

energized before my workout.

fruit flavor.”

“I love Peach Vibe Celsius

“Preworkout tastes bad

because they taste fantastic

and it’s inconvenient.

- Ella Sherlock (‘25)

and they get me very hype before I play a game.”

- Maeva Herbert Paz (‘26)

—Bella January (‘26)

Gatorade is just an all time classic.”

- Meryem Orazova (‘26)

by AMANDA GOODY and JONATHAN YUAN

WINNING Waterbottles with

Many athletes disregard the importance of good water bottles, while others do have a preference. Below are some of the Paly swim team’s favorite brands of bottles.

Q: What water bottle do you use for swim practice?

“I use a 24 oz Tervis bottle because it keeps my water cold.”

- James Meehan (‘25)

“I use a Hydro Flask.

I like it because it keeps my water cold during practices and meets.”

- Romy Kirby (‘26)

“I use a 40 oz Thermoflask. It’s good because it keeps my water cold and holds enough water to last an entire practice.”

- Blake Wang (‘25)

“I like to use a 32 oz Gatorade bottle because I can just squirt water into my mouth and the water is very easily accessible.”

- Nico Ogawa (‘25)

“I use a 40 oz Stanley because the straw is very convenient so when I am stopped at the wall I can take a sip quickly.”

- Fallon Porter (‘26)

@vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 13

text and design by EMIL BOTHE, TREY COLLINS, and EVIN STEELE

Throughout the past few decades, skateboarding has earned a negative connotation due to stereotypes surrounding the participants and their lifestyles. With the addition of skateboarding to the 2020 Olympics, skateboarding started to be seen as a legitimate sport and the community around it has gained respect as well. Is the Bay Area skate culture changing in the same way?

S

Photo courtesy of Keshuv Srinivasan

kateboarding is a ers. In high school movies, skateboarders sport enjoyed by are often unfairly painted as drug users, many Paly students. It’s bad students, and soon-to-be dropouts. more than just a sport In addition, graffiti that often covers though; with a strong commu- skate parks, as well as the dark baggy nity, unique fashion, and youth- clothes usually associated with skateful vibe skating attracts a vari- boarders, creates a negative image for ety of people that don’t aren’t bystanders. Graffiti is considered vandalenticed by ism, and the mainstream baggy clothes sports. The give the per“I love pushing [myself] creativity ception that and individthe sport is fear wise. If you’re really uality are stuck in the scared and you go for it, certainly at‘90s.

Junior it feels great” tractive.

Keshav SriUnfortunivasan is a -Keshav Srinivasan ‘25 nately for s k at e b o a rd skateboarder who has ers, the sport encountered has the perthese stereoception of being an activity for types. delinquents and troublemak“Because of the baggy pants, like when

[I’m] sagging a litportray the tle bit, people will sport in the look at [me] difbest light. ferently, especialHowever, this “Skateboarders have ly old people,” is just a small always had a reputation Srinivasan said. downside, “People will be and skatefor not having any really mad when boarders like ambition, it has been nice we’re just there, Srinivasan to change that overtime” and I think that want to show comes from the the positive -Shina Eron ‘25 stigma around and exciting skateboarding.” side of skateSkateboarding boarding is a public sport, that is often done both in and outside parks. Aside not seen by the public. from skate parks, skateboarders will also “I love the process of learning new go out and find special spots to practice tricks. I love the feeling you get when you certain tricks, such as specific rails or edges that aren’t available at the park.

However, sometimes these spots can be very close to businesses or other private properties, which causes conflict between the skaters and the owners. “[In front of stores] they have [handrails], so we’ll go out there and skate the rail,” Srinivasan said. “It’s not the best thing to do, but it’s not really hurting anyone.”

Skating in places that aren’t designated skate parks will enrage people though.

“Sometimes the people that will kick land a new trick you’ve been battling for you out can just be [rude],” he said. a long time. I love pushing yourself fear“[They’ll threaten] to call the cops and wise. If you’re really scared and you go be super annoyed. They’ll be coming up for it, it feels great,” Srinivasan said. and yelling when the easier approach is Junior Christian Saleh has found a to just say ‘I’m sorry but you guys can’t strong community in skateboarding. be here.’”

“I love how many friends and new peoThese unpleasant situations do happen ple you meet through skateboarding,” from time to time, and certainly don’t Saleh said. “Just going around to differ-

ent skate parks you meet a lot of new people.”

More experienced riders in the skate community also help make new skaters feel comfortable and welcome.

“Everyone is really supportive of each other,” Saleh said. “Whether you’re trying a new trick or doing anything really, people are very friendly.”

Another big upside is that skateboarding is an individual sport, and so skateboarders can constantly be outside and active without needing others around.

Even though the community is such an important part of skateboarding, at the end of the day all a skateboarder needs is their board. Gunn junior Shina Eron is a member of the skating culture, and was

Photo courtesy of Keshuv Srinivasan attracted by the individuality of it.

“Skateboarding is an outlet for me,” Eron said. “It’s a personal sport because you are in charge of what you want to do.

You can go to parks around the Bay, you can skate on any flat surface, and you can even build your own park.”

Eron is a girl in a male-dominated sport, which has given her a unique experience

@vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 15

with the skating culture.

Menlo Park. Hundreds of people came to competition at my school,” Polly said.

“It’s intimidating at first, but I found a watch,” Polly said. “It was one of the most “I never thought that the filming I was community with other girls who [also rewarding and joyful experiences in my doing for skateboarding would actually skateboarded],” life.” transfer into another part of my life, I was Eron said. “We After his premiere, just doing it for fun originally.”

“Skateboarding being have a special Polly went back to his He began working for hours on hours, bond and go regular filming rouperfecting his work and ultimately finishadded to the Olympics out of our way tine. What he didn’t ing his film for the competition. has added a sense of to skate with know though is that “We had gone on such a journey legitimacy we have one another.” his “hobby” was throughout the filming process, I ended Through this about to open up a up learning so much about myself and lacked for decades” bonded comwhole new range of my creative preferences,” Polly said.

-Keshav Srinivasan ‘25 munity, it is also opportunities.

When Polly finished his film he ended inevitable that a “We began work- up winning first prize for cinematograstrong passion ing on a second film phy in the short film contest. is built for skateboarding. For Menlo-Ath- when I was introduced to a short film “When I got first place, it was so validaterton senior James ing, I thought to myself ‘like oh Polly, skateboarding wow, this is real’ which inspired quickly turned from me to continue working on my just one small aspect film,” Polly said. of his life to an outlet Polly built up his portfolio for him to express himover the next few months, apself creatively. Through plying for the New York Times film, one such creative cinematography program. aspect, Polly has found “I kind of just applied; getting a new spark in life. in was what was truly shocking “When me and my to me,” Polly said. friends were skating, When Polly got to New York, we wanted to film our he was exposed to a whole tricks in the best way new approach to filmmaking. possible,” Polly said.

As well as a whole new com“I began to film whole munity that shared his passion days; our trips to the for cinematography. park [as well as] the “It was definitely a learning community that reexperience to understand and volved around the fuse so many different techpark.” niques into my filming that I For Polly, filming behad never thought of before. came an obsession beI was stubborn at first for sure, yond just documenting but ultimately realized that the his tricks. He was acnew techniques gave me new quiring hours of footways to share ideas.” Polly said. age from his filming After Polly finished his sumand wanted to compile mer program his portfolio was them into a big film that extensive, just in time for colrepresented him and lege applications. Polly ended his friends. He wanted up applying to New York Unito showcase their jourversity in Manhattan, pursuing ney of skateboarding a film degree. He was acceptas well as document ed and will be a freshman this the joys and mystique coming fall. of adolescents.

“My filming journey was defi“We had a big pre- The premier of Polly’s film in Menlo Park. Photo courtesy of James Polly nitely unusual compared to miere in a huge bowl in most of my filming peers, but

I think that getting here through skateboarding has been really important in shaping the way I create my art,” Polly said.

A major step in breaking down the stigma around skateboarding is the sport’s advancement on the world stage.

With skateboarding’s recent addition to the Olympics, it is now recognized as the most prestigious sporting competition in the world.

The process of getting that recognition was not easy however, as the sport is considered a high injury risk (a liability the Olympic committee doesn’t usually want to take), and there is a large pushback from skaters with traditional skateboarding values (skating has always been viewed as a niche sport, and many didn’t want that to change).

However, support from the professional skateboarding community as well as an increase in the sport’s popularity helped overcome these challenges.

In 2015, skateboarding was added to a shortlist along with five other sports to possibly be introduced in the 2020 Summer Olympics. A year later, skateboarding was approved to make its Olympic debut in the 2020 games.

“Parents won’t be able to say anymore that their kids are wasting their future by skateboarding,” Hiremath said. “Now skateboarding is on the same level as universally recognized sports like swim-

ming or track and field.”

At the moment skateboarding is relatively new to the international stage, but over the coming years, it should contin-

not over, skateboarding has come a long way. People are starting to see that the sport is more than just “bums” with nothing better to do, and instead, as a way to show creativity, style, and fearlessness in both recreational and competitive settings.

Perhaps most importantly, the skateboarding community is a unique one, where skateboarders can form lifelong friendships with people from all ages and backgrounds. “ S k a t e boarding has become one of the most important parts of Photo courtesy of James Polly my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other ue to develop into a full-blown profes- way,” Srinivasan said. “It’s impacted me sional sport. According to SkyQuest, the in so many different ways, and I wouldn’t global skateboarding market is project- be the same without it.” ed to grow from USD 2.83 billion in 2022 to USD 4.16 billion by 2030.

“A lot of people feel that skateboarding can’t become a real career,” Hiremath “Through skateboarding, said. “But I think we’ll start to see skateboarders I have been introduced making money through to an immense field of brand deals and othcreative outlets that er methods, and then skateboarding could turn have inspired my future into something that kids career” can dream to do for their -James Polly whole lives.”

Although the battle against the stigma around skateboarding is certainly

@vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 17

THE HIDDEN

by BEN LEVAV AND JASON HU

MVPS

In the world of sports, our team managers are often the unsung heroes. These fellow high schoolers’ dedication and hard work are the glue that holds their team together. To share more about it, three Paly team managers discuss their experiences with the job.

Q 1 How does your job provide fullfilment for you?

Q 2 What is your biggest challenge in the role?

Q 3 What is your favorite memory as team manager?

Anne Threlkeld

Olive Lindstrom

Kyle Clark

Senior, team manager of the Paly swim and dive team

Senior, team manager of the Paly swim and dive team

Senior, team manager of the Paly basketball

18 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com

A1 A2 A3 A1 A2 A3 A1 A2 A

3

Anne Threlkeld I grew up swimming and it has been an enourmous part of my identity throughout my life. I had some mental and physical health struggles that interfered with swimming, so I had to stop junior year. I really wanted to stay in the environment and help the team in any way I could.

The biggest challenge is meeting the needs of the coaches, parents, swimmers, all at the same time, and kind of being a communication liaison between everyone.

My favorite memories have been at meets when one person is trying to make a [CCS qualifying] cut and the entire team bands together to support that. I remember one meet last year when an athlete was going for CCS in the 500 freestyle and his teammates in his heat were pacing him and everyone else on the team was up there cheering on the deck.

Olive Lindstrom For me, I really wanted to focus on my art and to do so I needed to take a step back from swimming unfortunately. I chose to be a team manager last year because I really still wanted to be somewhat part of the team.

I didn’t really find the role itself to be challenging, but I think my biggest struggle was just not being a part of the team itself and losing that very big part of my life.

Definitely meets, as well as post-meet dinners at Town and Country. These moments were where we really bonded as a team; through the different grades we were able to form really strong connections through our love of the sport.

Kyle Clark I don’t need a Paly jersey to define my role in the team, but the effort and time I’ve given will surely be in the hearts and minds of the players and coaches I’ve served alongside.

That is fulfilling enough.

Time managements is one of the hardships of being a manager. I woild sometimes find myself juggling between school and practice or games. It’s basically being like a student-athlete but with less athleticism. And it’s definitely a valuable skill that would come in handy, and I’m still in the process of mastering it.

The best one would be our 55-39 win against Mountain View ... We were in the locker room with everybody hyped over the win. Coach Lamere starts to ask the players what they have to say ... I didn’t know what to say but with my lungs full, I shouted, “Coach, I love this team!” It was a joyous moment, and I’ll never forget it. @vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 19

Mirror

by ELIZA GAITHER, SARAH THIEMAN and KATIE YEN

Beyond the

Every human has a unique experience with how they relate to their own body, but for athletes, their experiences in their sport and their daily life often creates a more complicated relationship.

Do sports inspire body confidence, or can they exacerbate self esteem issues?

B

ehind every hurdle, tackle, throw, kick, stunt or plié is an athlete looking in the mirror at a person who feels they should have a certain physical look. Our Paly athletes have the mental endurance to show up for their sport every day, and more importantly, show up for themselves. The power of resilience and growth may be either diminished or improved by the way athletes feel in their skin.

Body image is defined as the multidimensional and dynamic concept that encompasses a person’s perception, thoughts, and feelings about their body.

Athletes across the world can be mentally and physically pushed to reach a specific physical build connected to the sport they play. In many cases, muscular female athletes can be seen

as “not feminine enough,” and lean male athletes might be “too small.”

Regardless of these examples, there are countless other standards placed on all athletes that can not only impact their ability to perform but also their mental capabilities.

It is essential to know the difference between working hard to be strong and agile and working to achieve a certain look. Body image issues are commonly overlooked, but even more so is the hyperfixation athletes have around nutrition to maintain a certain image.

Paly athletes were asked about their experience with the topic of body image within the community of sport(s) they play. Olivia* is a senior who participates in dance, and feels that the sport comes with certain expectations for body image.

“I think it’s desirable to be skinny and tall to create long lines since dance is such a visual sport,” Olivia said.

“Sometimes I feel

“Much of the commentary can lead to mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome and eating disorders,” - Emma,* Paly Student 20 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com

discouraged and insecure, which causes me to lose confidence in the sport.”

This lack of confidence can also be associated with an increase in mental illnesses for some athletes. Emma*, another Paly student who participates in dance, notes a similar phenomenon.

“Many ballet dancers who have been a healthy weight have been told that they are too heavy,” Emma said. “Much of the commentary can lead to mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome and eating disorders” When an audience sees a beautiful dancer on stage, with strong, lean muscles and perfect balance, they might not take into consideration the amount of mental pressure put on these athletes.

It is essential to understand that with any sport there is a possibility to develop different forms of stress, but dance is one of the most common sports to lead to eating disorders.

The top priority in sports like dance is to celebrate lean athletes who have the stereotypical build of a dancer, which can create an environment where there is little to no body positivity expressed. Body image dissatisfaction can be directly related to unhealthy behaviors like frequent dieting, bulimia, extreme restrictive eating, and a lack of confidence in their performance.

One professional ballerina, Kathryn Morgan, is dedicated to trying to change the unrealistic body standard in dance.

A soloist at the Miami City Ballet, she was cut from performing a solo titled “Firebird” because of her size. “​​I put the clip of Firebird in there to

show the reality of the situation,” Morgan Charlotte* expressed that her body said in an interview with Dance Magazine. image changed depending on who she “My clothes hanging in my closet are size surrounded herself with. two and zero and extra small and I am “I grew up playing a sport where being considered a large size. I wanted to show taller is an advantage and I am generally people this is what I look like. This is the pretty tall,” Charlotte said. “I feel less selfreality.” conscious around my teammates who One of the most common claims used have similar heights than when I am with to justify the body standard of ballet my 5-feet tall, 100 pound friends.” and dance in general is that directors This is not an uncommon situation have an artistic vision, and that that for athletes, especially women, to have vision includes smaller women. Morgan, a different body image within their however, feels that these standards are s p o rt and when generally unrealistic, and that pursuing them can cause real harm. She mentioned a scenario in which a friend of hers, who was a dancer, was told to “In sports, [an athlete’s body] can be try using cocaine to get her weight totally normal, and they feel proud down. of themselves, but then sometimes “When did that become okay?” outside of sports, depending on the Morgan said in athlete, that’s when they begin to feel response to this story. “Yes, obviously more self-conscious,” you need to be fit and - Global Sport Matters: Body Image Issues healthy to be a ballet (2019) dancer, it is a very physical art form. And yes, the men need to be able to lift you.

But I think the problem is that the standard is this sinewy almost prepubescent look. And for many of us that is not doable.”

Morgan recognizes that this is a complex issue, but she seeks to emphasize that excessive preoccupation with one’s body can suck the joy out of a sport. “​​I don’t have a perfect answer for how to fix it, but we need to work on it because these poor kids are being damaged,” she said. “It is not okay anymore. The whole point of being a dancer is to love movement and to love being on stage and we are ruining it.”

Dance is a sport that all too often comes with body image struggles; according to a 2015 study, dancers have a three times higher likelihood of developing an eating disorder compared to the general population.

However, individual dancers like Morgan are working hard to dismantle the challenging environment that many dancers have to struggle through.

Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that there is more to an athlete than just their sport, whether dance or any other sport. Some athletes’ body satisfaction fluctuates as they move between their different social settings.

they are in public. In the article, “Global Sport Matters: Body Image Issues,” published in 2019, Dr. Erin Rubenking highlighted “In sports, [an athlete’s body] can be totally normal, and they feel proud of themselves, but then sometimes outside of sports, depending on the athlete, that’s when they begin to feel more self-conscious.”

Part of this may come from the fact that sports focuses more on what the body can do, not how it looks. Sophia*, a Paly swimmer, notices that this impacts her own body image.

“When I’m swimming, I feel good about my body because it’s helping me improve my times and get a good workout,” she said. “But then as soon as I’m at school, the same broad shoulders that I am proud of during swimming become a point of insecurity in a way.”

There are ways to mitigate the risk of developing a negative relationship with one’s body, and instead form a positive environment for athletes of all shapes and sizes. By promoting body diversity, educating professionals and coaches on helping their athletes enhance their well being, and addressing the body image issues within our community, athletes might accept their bodies and find love for their appearance.

Our modern world is ever changing, and the stigma around body image is a more widely discussed issue

lots of fast people have different body shapes, so it’s not much pressure [to look a certain way],” Sophia said.

“The fastest people on our team don’t look the same, some are super tall or shorter and muscular, but all of them are successful in the water so it doesn’t really matter.”

Paly’s swim team has historically been one of the strongest athletics programs, not because each person looks the same, but because these athletes have put time, energy, and work into becoming strong athletes. By prioritizing their speed and endurance, the focus on how their body looks is insignificant.

Paly junior Maddie Lee participates in rowing, another example of an e x t re m e l y physically

“I remind myself that the sport has taught me lifelong lessons about fitness and exercise, so it’s not much of a worry to feel different,”

- Maddie Lee ‘25

today with social being the primary way to communicate. Many people with online platforms use their accounts to spread information on finding compassion for ourselves as competitive athletes.

One thing that can help support a good relationship with one’s body is participating in a sport in which many different athletes can find success.

Swimming is a sport that requires physical strength and endurance, but there is no “right” look for these impressive athletes.

Sophia*, a swimmer, feels that the sport has a representation of all people.

“Swimmers come in many different s i z e s and

demanding and time-consuming sport, often assumed to have specific physical criteria.

“Rowing has improved my body image because I look toned and feel healthier, but it also has left me feeling ‘too muscular’ or wanting to be smaller,” Lee said.

Despite some challenges about wanting to fit into a certain body type, Lee recognizes that rowing has given her so many benefits.

“I remind myself that the sport has taught me lifelong lessons about fitness and exercise, so it’s not much of a worry to feel different,” Lee said.

Lee hits on an important point that, though sports can improve body image by actually changing the composition of one’s body, whether

gaining muscle or losing weight from working out and training, participating in sports can also improve body image regardless of if your body changes at all.

By building a good relationship with working out, especially if surrounded by other athletes all with different body types, your own body image can improve as your confidence rises and you take advantage of your body’s feelgood hormones during training. Along with that, the mental health benefits that come along with exercise can improve negative emotions surrounding all aspects of one’s life, some of which might include body image issues.

Along with being content with their physical appearance, athletes might find that sports influence them to eat balanced meals and snacks throughout the day as essential benefits to their performance.

Athletics can promote healthy nutrition and a balance of all essential foods rather than solely focusing on the way one looks, sports teach athletes to fuel themselves. In addition to his rigorous workouts for his sport, 11th-grade student Liam* understands what he needs to do between his training hours.

“Food is so essential for athletes before and after practice, especially young athletes,” Liam* said. “No matter what, all categories of food should be on the table, meaning fats, proteins, and carbs.”

Those athletes who do prioritize nutrition might also find their body image to be more positive since getting the right nutrients can improve sleep and mood overall.

Paly junior Rohit Sengupta, a mountain biker and tennis player, has effectively improved his mindset through training.

“Mountain biking and tennis both improve cardiovascular health, strength, and endurance, leading to a better physique and a more bulky look,” Sengupta said. “The physical benefits combined with the mental boost from endorphins and skill mastery contribute to a positive body image and self-esteem.”

Sengupta has learned to focus more on physical fitness and improved mood rather than the way he looks.

The rush of endorphins,

otherwise known as “happy hormones,” released during workouts leads a lot of athletes, including Sengupta, to find body confidence.

Studies have proven that there are mental benefits of exercise on a neurochemical basis.

These benefits include an increase in dopamine levels in the brain, w h i c h decreases stress and even depression due to the enhancement of those “feel-good” transmitters.

Not only are hormones released, but exercise also reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.

As stated by the National Institutes of Health, hormonal fluctuations during adolescence alter b r a i n function, heightening self-awareness and sensitivity to one’s surroundings.

This heightened awareness, coupled with rapid physical changes and the societal pressure to conform to new standards of appearance renders teenagers particularly susceptible to developing eating disorders and experiencing dissatisfaction with their bodies. The “Spotlight Effect,” or the idea that everyone is focusing on you and your flaws, is particularly common among adolescents and can contribute to a lower self-image.

However, engagement in exercise and sports offers a valuable avenue for managing these hormonal shifts. For Sengupta, as well as countless other students at Paly and athletes worldwide, participation in athletics serves as a crucial tool for regulating hormonal balance and fostering a positive body image. Recognizing the powerful impact of sports on body image is essential in supporting the well-being of adolescents navigating this challenging and pivotal stage of development.

Paly sophomore Estelle Dufour, a water polo player and swimmer, has found sports to contribute positively towards body image.

“Sports make you feel and become

“Sports make you feel and become healthier, which is a huge aspect of self-confidence and body image,”

- Estelle Dufour ‘26

healthier, which is a huge aspect of selfconfidence and body image,” Dufour said. “Personally, feeling healthy and fit improves my body image and how I feel.”

In a study titled “The Impact of Sports Involvement on Body Image Perception and Ideals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” it is concluded that participation in sports improves the perception and acceptance of one’s body image, which has been demonstrated and compared to the non-sports population. Through the study, it has been proven that athletes are generally believed to be more satisfied with their bodies. However, based on 15 studies reviewed, there is a greater body image dissatisfaction (BID) in female athletes than in male athletes.

Although this data aligns with the widely accepted notion that men and boys are less susceptible to body image dissatisfaction and the abundance of disorders that accompany poor body image, Paly 9th grader Oliver* provides his two cents on why this might be and his experience with body image.

“There is a dangerous stigma around male body image and this has caused me and probably other boys to shy away from expressing these stereotypically ‘female’ insecurities,” Oliver said.

Oliver wants to highlight that men and @vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 23

“There is a dangerous stigma around male body image and this has caused me and probably other boys to shy away from expressing these stereotypically ‘female’ insecurities” - Oliver*, ‘27 boys can struggle with body image as well. In the future, perhaps movements online that are typically geared towards women, like body positivity, can be accepting to men who wish to express their insecurities.

According to “The Body Project” published by Bradley University, “Men tend to be quieter about their body negativity, seeking treatment less frequently or holding off on treatment longer than women due to shame (Brennan, Lalonde, & Bain 2010; Burlew & Shurts 2013).”

Oliver also highlights the difference between his experience with body image and the public perception of male body dissatisfaction.

“I feel like the male body image tends to be misunderstood,” Oliver said. “I feel like a lot of people presume that we are only concerned with perceived lack of muscle when I feel like it’s much more complex than that.”

In the same way that some women might want to be thinner, but others want to have more muscle, be taller, or even gain weight or curves, men also have complex relationships with their bodies, but these nuances are often glossed over.

These differences and complexities of how each gender relates to negative

body image are important when it comes to recognizing the stigma for male athletes. Society must turn attention to male body image just as much as we validate and seek to make it positive for women. Nevertheless, the issue is ongoing and impacts all athletes, regardless of sex.

One way to combat negativity around body image is body neutrality, a rising mentality to help all people feel comfortable in their skin. Paly student 10th grader Ava* understands the idea of body neutrality, which differs from body positivity, and simply describes prioritizing a healthy and functioning body rather than an outside appearance.

“My body does what it’s supposed to, so I try to be thankful for that and put aside the visual aspects of it,” Ava said.

Due to the Body Positivity movement, an online movement that was created to help serve as an appreciation of all parts of one’s body (founded in reaction to the “Heroin-chic” eras venerating extreme thinness of the 90’s and the 00’s), many people can find confidence and joy in their body, despite insecurities. But, while body positivity may help some, it can be harmful to promote constant unconditional self-love and has even become toxic, at times promoting unhealthy eating by comparing keeping a healthy and balanced diet to dangerous conditions like eating disorders.

24 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com

It is both unrealistic and ineffective to expect unabating appreciation for every inch of one’s body. Instead of taking energy to always love your body, a much more comfortable and attainable goal promoted by body neutrality is finding peace with it; not being enamored with your appearance all the time, but overcoming insecurities and not dwelling on them.

“It’s unrealistic to always absolutely love what I see in the mirror, but I also realize that it shouldn’t be normalized to dislike what I see,” Ava said. “I honestly feel pretty opposed to my body.”

Something that might deter athletes from delving into the “body neutrality” mindset is the notorious issues within social media platforms.

Social media has been a major contributor to body image struggles by creating unrealistic beauty standards and encouraging insecurities. It has managed to turn natural components of the human body into new things to be insecure about. While some view sharing your insecurities as helpful, by showing those with the same insecurities that they are not alone, it also can create new insecurities in others. As various trends emerge and fade, people can feel constant dissatisfaction with their bodies.

Pressure to fit these standards is overwhelming, especially with the rise in editing platforms. Filters, photoshop, plastic surgery and other tools contribute to creating idealized versions of beauty.

Constant exposure to photos or videos online that are carefully curated and edited sets an unreachable benchmark and fails to accurately portray reality.

If creators are not honest about how they portray themselves on social media, it can leave dismayed followers wondering, “Why haven’t I grown up to be perfect like this celebrity has?” Social media facilitates a comparison culture that causes others to develop low selfesteem and feelings of inadequacy when they see others’ seemingly “perfect” bodies. Paly sophomore and water polo player Maeva Herbert-Paz highlights what she notices from her experience on social media.

“There are so many people to compare yourself to online, and a lot of competition online in general,” Herbert-Paz said.

“Genetics play a big role in different body types, and people can create unrealistic beauty standards by posting their body on social media, causing other people

to compare themselves to a body even when no matter how hard you work you won’t be able to achieve that body type.”

Someone may open a social media platform and see dozens of photos or videos from fashion models, influencers, fitness models, or other athletes and feel pressured to match their physical appearance, causing them to set unsustainable and unhealthy goals as an athlete. Paly junior and gymnast Svina Narang adds to how the media can add pressure to athletes and their performance.

“Unrealistic standards set in the media are harmful for many athletes, and even standards set for gymnasts, in particular, to look ‘strong enough,’ for example, have a really negative effect on gymnasts,” Narang said.

Social media can also spread false information about what is healthy and unhealthy, especially regarding nutrition. It is easy for athletes to take advice without doing further research after hearing information online.

However, it isn’t all bad. Social media has many benefits in promoting positive ideas about body image. Social media creates an outlet for well-known, influential athletes to share their everyday life, causing others to feel more comfortable about themselves and normalize healthy habits.

Other encouraging content like fitness advice, community support, and education is also prevalent across media platforms.

“Social media can

bring more awareness to disordered eating and what a healthy body can look like as well,” Herbert-Paz said. “It’s a good way to spread information about body image and healthy eating.”

Additionally, when used positively, social media can contribute to a more inclusive and diverse representation of all body types. Influencers can help promote unique features and alternative beauty standards that both celebrates the beauty in differences and combats

traditional beauty standards. Through seeing successful athletes or anyone with a familiar body type, athletes might find comfort and reassurance in themselves to help feel more comfortable in their own skin.

There are countless complex correlations between body and mind for athletes, of both positive and negative dimensions. A positive body image can empower athletes to excel in their sport and personal lives, while a negative body image can deter athletes from their athletics. Fostering confidence and embracing the body diversity within sports is essential to making sports more inclusive “Unrealistic standards set in the media for all. are harmful for many athletes, and even It is essential to push back against the standards set for gymnasts, in particular, to superficial factors of sports, and consider look ‘strong enough,’ for example, have a each body to really negative effect on gymnasts,” have a physical rather than - Svina Narang, ‘25 visual purpose.

Your body isn’t an ornament, but rather a tool to maintain and utilize.

* Names with an asterisk have been made anonymous at the request of the interviewee using the most common names in the US.

@vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 25

Grid iron

by LUCAS TUNG and TYLER CHUNG

text and design by TYLER CHEUNG and LUCAS TUNG

Gaming

O

n February 15, EA’s College Football 2025 was announced. The last iteration of the game – NCAA Football 14 – is considered one of the greatest sports video games of all time. The teams, the players, the gameplay and the nostalgic factor are reasons why the legacy of the game is still felt today. Fans have been desperately waiting for the reboot of the series for over a decade, and now it’s ready to return.

The game will include around 135 teams with 85 players per roster. Coaches and managers are also expected to be added on. Obviously the game play and graphics will be improved compared to the 2013 version, but it also is expected to have a newer and smoother feeling compared to other football video games like Madden. The game’s creator, Electronic Arts (EA) Sports, will offer college football players $600 and a free copy of the game (expected to be valued around $70 at release) to gain the rights to use their name. A large number of college football athletes have already signed up to be a part of the game. Many of these college football players grew up playing the older versions of the game. Seeing their name and face on the game will be a dream come true for them.

The game was discontinued in 2013 due to legal disputes about EA using players’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) without proper compensation. The accusation came through a lawsuit by UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon. O’Ban-

Despite being out of commission for almost a decade, EA’s College Football video game is making a return. What will this new game look like, and what does it mean for the future of football video games?

non accused the NCAA for unfairly profiting by using the popularity of their athletes. After the lawsuit it was determined that the NCAA’s amateurism rules stating that college athletes who couldn’t make money off of their likeness, were being monopolized and not fairly compensated for their part in the game. In simpler terms, The NCAA could no longer benefit from player’s NIL without paying them. This was not an issue in the NFL’s video game Madden.

This is b e cause N F L players are professionals and can unquestionably profit from their fame, but college athletes are students who technically aren’t working.

However, now with college athletes being able to profit from NIL, the new game will directly include real players in the game. Colleges started to allow athletes to profit from NIL in 2021. The first state to allow NIL was California in the summer of 2021. In 2013, the players in the game were not directly named and were represented by an alias. For example, a player could be referred to as QB1.

26 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com

This is because the NIL laws at the time prevented their names to be displayed on the game. In the new game, real player’s names and character models will be projected.

This game is the largest NIL program so far. The investment is estimated to cost EA more than $6 million. The games NIL setup allows many unknown athletes to get their name recognized.

Some critics believe that $600 is not enough compensation for athletes who already make millions on NIL deals. Nevertheless, the special thing about this deal is that it includes many small schools and developing athletes.

Freshman Kane Do believes pay can affect popularity.

“I think they should be paid because it allows the athletes to make more of a name for themselves,” Do said.

Sophomore football player Kacey Washington notes the challenges of paying the large number of athletes included in the game.

“I think [athletes] should make some money, but when you look at it from the

“They can make something special here, it’s all up to what the developers decide to do.” - Kacey Washington (‘26)

EA perspective, it’s not doable for them opers decide to do.” to give out as much money as the playWashington also hopes that College ers are hoping for,” Washington said.

Football 25 will provide a unique game EA has overcome a lot of criticism play experience. during the making of this game. They “I hope the game play is a lot more have gathered not only the rights to free flowing because in Madden the around 10,000 players, but also the game is supposed to be more realisrights to 135 FBS teams. These remark- tic,” he said. “I hope college can be a lot able numbers have come in only the first more offensive based.” month of the game’s announcement, The main game mode that players and new players are joining the game are looking forward to playing is Dynasty on a daily basis. Some athletes howev- Mode. er, have denied their rights to the game.

“Dynasty is basically choosing a The most notable of these players is team where you choose a team and Arch Manning. The brother of legendary you role-play quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning out that coach,” turned down the opportunity to be a Washington expart of the upcoming game due to his plained. “You desire to be “focused on the field.” build up Although Manning is the only noyour playtable player to have turned down ers, you win a offer, his games and rejection lose games. could be a Depending huge blow how you do “It will relate to high school to the you could get athletes because it will game. fired.” simulate the way colleges M a d Kane Do adds den, the how the college will send out offers based NFL’s vidon their performance in high game is more apeo game, pealing to high school” has been schoolers. prosper“I’m looking for- Kane Do (‘27) ing as a ward to the career monopoly mode where you ever since can start from high College Football video games discontin- school and get offers from colleges,” Do ued in 2013. With the release of the new said. “I think it will relate to high school game this summer, Washington notes athletes because it will simulate the way that players will have to choose which colleges will send out offers based on game they want to play. their performance in high school.”

“You can play both games in the same The new college football playoff (in year without them intertwining, so I’d real life) now takes the top 12 teams inprobably play one for a while then the stead of four. Many fans are happy about other for a while,” Washington said. this because it gives non powerhouse Critics worry that College Football 25 schools a chance at playing meaningwill be too similar to Madden. However, ful games late in the season. This new one of the main differences between playoff setup is also expected to Madden and College Football 25 is that add more excitement into the in the NFL, you draft players from col- video game, which is mimlege and have to deal with a salary cap. icking the same system.

In college you recruit athletes which you College football is have little to no data of. Recruiting high known for the stuschool athletes is an art within itself, and dent sections fans like Washington are looking forward and the ento experiencing this in the upcoming v i r o n m e n t game. that they “I think the game play will be very b u i l d . different,” Washington said. “I think you Teams partake some Madden concepts and add ticipatit with some high paced offense of col- i n g lege, [and] they can make something i n special here, it’s all up to what the devel-

the game are hoping that they can create an accurate representation of what their college football environment feels like.

Over the past few years, various schools have been submitting information about their traditions to help the game be as true-to-life as possible. In an interview with The Athletic, Aaron Horvath, a senior associate athletic director at Notre Dame, explained what kind of content they are providing game creators.

“We provided a host of different things, including 360-degree photos of all our rivalry trophies, photos of everything in the stadium, the tunnel down from the locker room,” Horvath said.

“We’ve provided audio of our chants in the fourth quarter, different traditions.

To say which ones are in the game, you’ll have to wait and see when the game is launched. But there’s a ton of stuff for EA to choose from in this first year.”

In a way, the game can advertise certain colleges for high schoolers or transfer students. This is a way that colleges can use the video game to impact non-athletes and spread their name to young students.

After a ten year wait, fans of the NCAA are eagerly awaiting this new game as a chance to coach, recruit and train their favorite players, meet new ones, and experience the fun and community that comes with the college football experience.

@vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 27

Features in the

“

USA-THEME

The fans are a crucial but an often overlooked group who bring the energy and incredibly creative and well executed themed outfits to Paly culture and game time successes.

by ASPEN STITT and AVERY RELLER

“I was super excited when we voted for USA theme in ASB. It was a great theme because it is patriotic and a fun dress up and I liked all the flags people brought.”

- Leilani Chen (‘27)

photo courtesy of Leilani Chen

“This theme was super important because it raised awareness for ovarian cancer in a fun and inclusive way” - Tate Hardy (‘24) photo courtesy of Tate Hardy

TEAL-OUT

“Everyone was extremely spirited and its almost like each person builds off the others energy, which I really love. At the end of the day everyone has fun doing it and it is motivating for our Paly teams to see everyone show up for them.”

- Hannah Jensen (‘24)

GREEN-OUT

“Green-out is my favorite theme because it makes me feel really connected with the Paly community and helps me embrace my love for the school” - Henry Germain (‘27) photo courtesy of Hannah Jensen

NEW THEMES “I would really love to see Paly implement an underwater theme. There are so many ways to interpret it and make fun costumes that showcase Paly spirit.”

- Kat Farrell (‘24)

“I really wish we did a western themed student section. I would love to wear my cowboy boots and hat, I just think it would be really fun.”

- Charlotte Barclay (‘26)

“I really wish we had a pajama theme because I think it would be so comfy to be in pj’s during a game,” - Adi Hiremath (‘25)

The The

by BEAU REVENAUGH and CARTER BURNETT

HEALING GAME

Paly athletes play sports for a multitude of reasons.

It could be as a way to see friends, the desire to compete, the love for a game, and even as a way to release anxiety and stress.

H

igh schoolers are no strangers to being stressed, anxious, depressed or lonely, and each kid has a different way of dealing with these negative emotions, some good, and some bad. From dangerous extremes like experimenting with addictive drugs to healthier strategies like participating in after-school activities, to using prescription medication or therapy, every high schooler has a go-to method of stress relief.

Among these strategies, one that is often tried and true for high schoolers is working out. Exercise has been proven to be one of the most positive strategies according to psychology.

Pa r t i c i p a t After a long day of sitting ing in aerobic exercise and not doing much at n a t u r a l l y school, it’s fun to get p r o d u c e s endorphins outside and have some (or feel-good chemicals), fun. improves - Shalin Dwivedi ‘26 focus afterwards, and science shows that gaining lean muscle mass can even help filter out toxins that cause depression. Exercising with friends or playing on a sports team can also provide a positive social community and working out can improve sleep, another important factor in reducing stress.

A national survey of 1.2 million Americans who were located through different sociodemographic and physical backgrounds, discovered that those who exercise expe-

rienced 1.49 (or 43.5%) fewer days of poor mental health or in the past month compared to those who did not exercise.

The data and science says it all: exercise improves mental health.

According to a Verde article in 2022, 60.6% of Paly students have participated in school sports.

While sports form an integral part of school life and culture, Paly and other local schools are somewhat unique in the competitiveness associated with academics. The cutthroat culture of Silicon Valley is brought to Paly culture from students’ upbringings. As the center of the tech industry, Palo Alto attracts the best and brightest entrepreneurs, engineers, businessmen, and other workers.

Yet the competitiveness of these people and jobs create an emphasis on students to be the best and succeed in school, graduate from a top university, and land a cushy job. While this competitiveness is not necessarily bad, it can also create pressure that leads to mental health issues for students.

Paly students pursue difficult course-loads because of the competitiveness and desire to do well in school, leading to stress and anxiety. Yet sports provide an opportunity to distract from that stress, as well as expunge it through physical activity.

Sophomore lacrosse player Shalin Dwivedi feels that playing on his team improves his entire school day by providing an outlet.

“I feel like playing a sport positively affects my mental health because after a long day of sitting and not doing much at school, it’s fun to get outside and have some fun,” Dwivedi said.

Overall, sports serve as a long-term method to achieve

EXERCISE...

“Playing a sport positively affects my mood by giving a constant in my life and allowing me to work on myself.”

- Zeke Maples ‘26 (Football)

“When I’m running I feel relaxed, and I just focus on each stride and forget about all the things that are worrying me”

- Kaiden Mu ‘26 (Track)

better physical health, which is closely related to mental health. In a joint study between Seoul National University and Columbia University, mental health was plotted with respect to hours of physical activity. The study analyzed data from 7674 adult respondents from a 2008 survey of American adults. The study found that the optimal amount of physical activity to maximize positive mental health was 2.5 to 7.5 hours of exercise a week. While the optimal exercise time depends on age, gender and physical health, the study found that those who engaged in the optimal exercise time reported a healthier mental state. At the same time, sports inhibit distractions from the stresses of being a student.

Sophomore baseball player Ian Johnston feels that playing his sport allows him to distance himself from school stress.

“Playing baseball positively affects my mental health by taking my mind off of school, and is just a place where I don’t have to think about any of my stress,” Johnston said.

Working out can be taken to an extreme, where exercise becomes a detriment to the mental health of the participant.

According to Medline, a government medical information site, some people’s love of exercise can turn into a compulsion for exercise if one feels guilty for not working out, works out even if sick or injured, or, for girls, you lose a healthy period pattern.

One Paly student who wishes to remain anonymous recalls how their love of exercise became a compulsion to them.

“I just lost my passion for it,” they said. “I was turning down hanging out with friends because I still had to go to the gym that day and I was basically always sore since I didn’t give myself recovery time.”

Over-exercising can also be tied to dangerous eating disorders, and can even be caused by exercising, as the anonymous student noted.

“Playing a sport helps improve my sleep... If I don’t exhaust myself during the day, it is hard for me to go to sleep.”

- Eddrick Steil ‘26 (Football)

“I was so concerned about getting the right nutrition in order to maximize my gains in the gym that it got to a point where I wasn’t eating normally,” they said.

However, this source was able to recover their love of working out after re-evaluating their priorities.

“I realized that I wasn’t having fun in the gym anymore or enjoying spending time with my gym buddies, so I basically took a week off and tried other workouts like hiking, which was a lot more fun for me,” they said. “Right now I have been doing more hikes with my buddies and Playing baseball...

I really have [takes] my mind off been enjoying working out school and is just a place again, which is where I don’t have to think great.”

As is commonabout any of my stress. ly said, the dose - Ian Johnston ‘26 makes the poison. Using exercise as a stress reliever can be positive and fun, but taking it too far can have the opposite effect. On that note, too much exercise is correlated with body dysmorphia, often leading to poor mental health.

To keep exercise as a fun and healthy activity, moderation is key; make sure you’re enjoying your time with friends and feeling energized after your workouts. The incredible health benefits of exercise are something that all students should experience, so if you are ever feeling down, try going for a walk or trying some exercises in the Paly gym during PRIME. @vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 31

Alto

o

Pal

Playing the

System

By ROAN HANEY, NATHAN LEE, and ETHAN WANG After a Paly sophomore (who wishes to remain anonymous) saw many of their schoolmates on the sports-betting app Fliff, they decided to download it and give it a try.

After getting some of the app’s online currency, they placed some bets, and earned some more online currency. Feeling like they were on a roll, they bought more online currency using real-life American dollars. The bets continued, getting riskier and riskier, until eventually they crashed, losing the currency they had bought and then some more.

“After I lost all of the Fliff cash that I bought I realized that I went too far, so I stopped for a while,” the anonymous sophomore said.

“Even though I stopped [sports betting], I still see a big population here at Paly that make sports bets, and I see videos on social media all the time with jokes about betting.”

In 2018, the Supreme Court overthrew a federal ban on sports betting, allowing the state governments to set up their policies however they choose. Although there is no longer a ban on these sports

betting apps in the US, there haven’t been any regulations legalizing the activities as well.

In November of 2022, Propositions 26 and 27 were placed on Californian’s ballots, both advocating for a different form of legalization of sports gambling. Both failed, meaning that sports betting of any form is still illegal in California. California is one of just 12 states to have all forms of sports betting illegal.

Sports betting is an incredibly profitable enterprise, as much of gambling is. When propositions 26 and 27 were on the table, organizations stood to benefit billions. According to the California Secretary of State, a combined total of $295.5 million was raised in support of Propositions 26 and 27. The main contributors? Companies, casinos, and online sports betting apps such as FanDuel.

Overall, $132.3 million was raised in support of Proposition 26, while only $43.8 million was raised in opposition. For Proposition 27, $169.1 million was raised in support, with $249.4 million in opposition. Had the

32 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com

Propositions to pass sports gambling failed in late 2022.

How has sports betting in california progressed since then?

propositions passed, they would have brought in large amounts of money in taxes for the state.

Proposition 26 sought to legalize in-person sports gambling in a variety of locations. Proposition 27 took it even a step further, attempting to legalize sports betting from mobile devices, essentially people over the age of 21 would be able to place bets with real money anywhere, anytime.

At the end of the day, both propositions failed, so technically, gambling on any sport except horse racing is still illegal in the state of California.

However, despite this fact, thousands of Californians still participate in sports gambling. How has sports betting become so popular statewide and even at Paly? What has changed since the proposition failed in late 2022? The answer lies mainly in what some would consider a loophole that makes sports betting both legal and mobile.

As using real-world currency (like US dollars) is illegal, many popular sports betting apps utilize what are called social currencies under a sweepstakes gaming platform. A popular example of this concept would be utilizing the app Fliff. There are no restrictions on who can download the app because it doesn’t utilize actually acceptable cash. It has two different types, Fliff coins, and Fliff cash. These currencies can be used exclusively for the Fliff app.

A junior with experience on Fliff who wishes to remain anonymous confirms that loopholes regarding sports betting in California stay alive and well. “[Sports betting apps] in California will continue to be available since

they have ty of betting online.” f o u n d Bets can be placed often and fast usl o o p h o l e s ing the Fliff app; these apps want to in Califor- remove all possible speed bumps that nia’s laws could cause a gambler to reconsider a g a i n s t placing a bet. After downloading the sports bet- Fliff app, it took a member of Viking ting,” the a grand total of 3.3 seconds to open anonymous the Fliff app and place a random bet. source said. “You are able to win real A key element of recovery from any money but you have to have a valid ID sort of addiction is placing as much that is 21 years or older to cash out.” friction as possible between you and Because neither are real curren- a potential relapse: alcoholics avoid cies, anybody can download the app situations with alcohol, binge eaters and play it recreationally. The catch keep binge food out of the house, comes with exchanging currencies for and drug users cut off friends who effective, spendable money. To with- use drugs. For gambling, it is the draw fliff cash, people have to regis- same way, and it can be seen how ter with a real ID as over 21, and the insidious these apps are, since their only states that prohibit this form of accessibility on one’s cell phone and sweepstakes style are Hawaii, Neva- ease of placing bets may make it da, Idaho, Washington, and Tennes- more challenging for gambling adsee, meaning it’s fair game here in dicts to recover.

California.

In addition to Fliff, there are a numEssentially, peober of other betting apps available Alto ple exchange their to use with their separate currency.

Palo Fliff cash for gift These vary from cards that can Sleeper, the #1 be used at busifantasy football “I can also play with my nesses ranging app with a secfrom Taco Bell to tion for sportsfriends and compare Uber. books, to Draftparlays with each other.

Such online apKings, a sports plications make betting-focused There is a fun aspect to it exceptionalapp. All these difpotentially winning and ly easy to start ferent apps seem sports betting to be slightly difhaving your parlays hit, and consistentferent but still especially when they ly keep sports have the shared betting. In 2022, trait of having a have multiple legs” Viking magazine sportsbook secspoke with retion where bets -Madeleine Kuo (‘25) covering sports can be placed. gambling addict “I started betSteven Delaney, ting on Fliff about who has a poda year ago,” an cast called “Fantasy or Reality? The anonymous junior said. “My lifetime GPP (Gambling Problem Podcast).” earnings so far are 600 dollars, and Delaney notes that online gambling I like to believe that I haven’t wasted significantly increases accessibility much of it more into betting.” and the likelihood of addiction.

Although some Paly students claim “To go to an in-person casino, you that they are smart with their money, need the time and actual cash to others have made mistakes costing play,” said Delaney. “With online bet- them real-life money due to the addi ting, you can use credit cards and can ctive properties of gambling, as is play from anywhere. I’ve heard many displayed with the anonymous sophpeople talk about betting while in the omore source who was mentioned at bathroom, ... in the car, even on the the beginning. couch next to their spouse, and no English teacher Lindsay Cohen has one knew they were gambling away never gambled but has her opinions their life savings or going deep into in regard to whether or not gambling debt. It’s much easier and quicker to should be allowed. do more damage with the accessibili“I think that any sort of gambling

Palo needs to be well regulated,” Cohen on a sport you’re ing persaid. “[Students] shouldn’t be able to associated with. manently Alto gamble under 18.”

The Football Asbanned The most popular and simplest form sociation, the from the “Sports betting on of sports gambling is a money line. It governing body Hall of is a type of bet where gamblers put over all aspects Fame. After apps like Fliff is really money on which team or player they of soccer at the all his years in easy because you think will win a game. For example, amateur to the the MLB and his betting on the 49er’s money line is professional levcountless awards, have lots of options betting on them to win and you’d be el within its jurisPete Rose will in terms of sports able to cash out if the team won. diction (England never become a Another common form of sports and the islands Hall of Famer due and different props betting is point spread, where you bet Guernsey, Jerto this. This decito bet on” on a team’s margin of victory rather sey and the Isle sion to this day is than just winning or losing. A positive of Man), has incontroversial and and negative symbol represents the troduced a ban shows how sports - Anonymous (‘25) spread and the team favored to win on betting when betting can turn gets the minus number like (-3) win- involved in the your life upside ning the bet.

Premier League, down.

The last common form of betting is English Premier, In a currently over-under total bets. In these wa- National League, unfolding scangers, you are betting on the com- the FA Women’s Super League, and dal, Shohei Ohtani, who recently bined points scored between both The FA Women’s Championship lev- signed the biggest contract in sports teams. For example, if the final score els. This ban is to avoid scenarios that history with the LA Dodgers, is in the of a game is 21-14, the total is 35, may involve the issues that arise from spotlight after the discovery that his and if you bet on that s p r e a d the sports betting version of insider interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara (who he you’d win. trading. has fired following this news) had The most Athletes includ- taken millions of dollars from Ohtani c o m m o n ed in the leagues to pay off debts that he incurred form of gamabove are pro- through illegal sports gambling. “[Students] shouldn’t bling with Paly hibited from any The story is stilll developing, and as students is betform of betting of yet, it is unclear if Ohtani knew, or if be able to gamble ting with fake on football local- he was robbed by Mizuhara. If Ohtani under 18. Also, there money because ly or worldwide. was aware, he could face serious ramit’s the only leIn fact, Sandro ifications, and even if not, gamlbing should be a crackdown gal version in Tonali, a mid- will have at least ruined Mizuhara’s life on sports gambling California. These fielder for New- in a tragic way. As this story among fake sports betcastle, did some many demonstrates, gambling can apps that allow ting apps are betting on AC destroy lives. students to gamble similar to using Milan matches By participating in legal gambling real money and after hanging out without the high stakes, many Paly legally” you can do the with members of students have found fun in playing same different the team. As a re- the odds despite its ad-Lindsay Cohen forms of gamsult, he received dictive properties. Junior bling. The odds a ten-month ban Madeleine Kuo, who participates in are calculated from soccer. legal online gambling with social curfrom all the bets Sandro Tona- rencies, notices the most desirable placed. li isn’t the one person who has been bets are those with a higher potential The purpose of these apps is to caught insider betting. In the NFL, of hitting a jackpot. simulate and practice the actual ex- MLB, and even the MLB, players have “The most fun part perience of gambling. Using social been caught wagering on games of sports gambling Palo Alto currency, you can place bets normal- while active. is the multiple leg ly without the risk of losing effective In the MLB, one of the most famous parlays because cash but still have the enthralling feel- scandals occurred. Pete Rose, the different things ing of gambling. This method is com- MLB’s all-time leader in hits with three have to hit for pletely legal for minors in California if World Series, one Most Valuable Playyou don’t cash out. er, and two Golden Gloves, is the defi“There should be a crackdown on nition of a Hall of Famer. UnfortunatePalo Alto sports gambling apps that allow stu- ly, after retiring he became a manager dents to gamble legally,” Cohen said. for the Cincinnati Reds and just three However, sports gambling can be years later he was claimed to be gamillegal in another aspect: if you bet bling on his team and ended up be-

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Palo

Alto

your bet to cash in,” Kuo said. “The possibility of winning big is the most fun part.”

Since there are multiple conditions, the chance of winning goes down, but the rewards go up, drawing many to this type of bet.

“It’s also great because you can keep betting every day since they give you a free sum of money each day,” Kuo said.

This aspect of the “free gifts” is a tactic often employed by gambling apps to keep people coming back for more. In Kuo’s case, she isn’t risking real money, but for addicts, this tactic can be debilitating. A gift like this is called a “loss leader,” designed to entice more play.

There is also a social aspect to such apps, as they are popularly shared between friends and online. A sports betting culture has grown attached to sports fans, especially online on social media.

“A part of how I knew about sports betting was from online, for a while

I would get videos recommended to me with people talking about Fliff and different videos on it, [and] most of them were just jokes,” Kuo said.

Sports betting is just a part of the internet now and is something that has a massive scope from kids to older people. It is like another form of social media that can connect people.

“I can also play with my friends and compare players with each other,” Kuo said. “There is a fun aspect to potentially winning and having your parlays hit, especially when they have multiple legs [conditions to fulfill].”

A spirit of friendly competition is fostered between students who bet along with friends. Without the risk of real money on the line, this can be a source of fun. However, it is important to recognize that exposure to these apps at a young age increases the risk of gambling issues when older.

According to mass.gov (the official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts), “Research shows that children introduced to “harmless bet-

ting” by age 12 are four times more likely to engage in problem gambling later.”

As with any potentially addictive substance or activity, the younger someone is introduced to it, the higher the likelihood of addiction at a later age. With sports gambling gaining traction around the world, more and more students have started gambling, however many don’t know the hidden dangers. Gambling, although it seems fun and harmless, after a while can cause low self-esteem, stress, anxiety, and even depression, as well as debilitating financial issues.

$277.6 Mil

$281.5 Mil

Prop 26: Allows in-person sport betting at racetracks and tribal casinos.

Prop 27: Legalizes online and mobile sports gambling for people over the age of 21

by committees in support of prop 26 and 27

spent by committees that oppose prop 26 and 27

If you ever feel like you’re experiencing a gambling addiction, call 1-800-GAMBLER for help.

From record breaking moments to upcoming local franchises, women’s basketball is soaring to new heights with rising stars like Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu transforming the game.

by TYLER MARTIN, MAX MERKEL, DYLAN ROBINSON and GRACE GORMLEY art by JOSIE VOGEL

O

ver 9.9 million people tuned in to watch the 2023 NCAA March Madness Championship game. The hype leading up to the game was immense as two talented teams with entertaining styles of play faced off.

The Final Four, the two games preceding the National Championship, featured an average of 6.5 million viewers.

Both of these major

numbers are huge increases compared to viewership from years prior. What the casual fan may not realize is these numbers are for the NCAA women’s March Madness tournament, not the men’s.

These large numbers in viewership are a testament to the increasing popularity for women’s basketball in recent years. In fact, just 15 years ago the women’s National Championship game between the University of Connecticut and Louisville collected just 2.67 million viewers, 30% of what we saw this past year.

Evelyn Zhang, a senior at Paly

36 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com

“People thought that women’s sports just aren’t worth watching [because] ...they’re not as interesting because they’re not as flashy.”

-Evelyn Zhang ‘24

who has played basketball since she was little, notes that this may be a result of changing attitudes towards the sport.

“People have always had a misconception about women’s sports,” she said.

“They are more team-based, there’s more team-based plays and passing and everything. But people thought that women’s sports just aren’t worth watching [because] they’re not as athletic or

they’re not as interesting because they’re not as flashy. But I think people have come to realize that that’s not the only objective with the sport of basketball.”

While women’s college basketball developed less than a year after men’s college basketball (back in 1892), it took much longer for women’s basketball to become a developed professional sport, in part due to the pervasive attitudes that Zhang discussed.

The NBA was founded in 1946, but it took half a century more for the WNBA to be developed in 1996. Just like the NBA, the WNBA was making strides to do new things.

The very first WNBA game (New York Liberty versus Los Angeles Sparks in 1997) had a crowd of just over 14,000 people watching. The recent NCAA game that broke the ESPN record had more than 700 times that amount.

Sheryl Swoopes was the first player signed to a WNBA team in 1997 and throughout her career won 3 MVP awards. Along with Swoopes, many other women like Lisa Leslie – who is a four-time Olympic gold medal winner – and Val Ackerman – who became the first president of the WNBA – have made steps towards helping the WNBA thrive.

There are many women who want to make the WNBA big and are putting in the work because basketball is the sport they love.

Recently, the hype and energy surrounding women’s basketball, at both the collegiate and professional levels, has skyrocketed. This is mainly in part because of more media coverage, for both watching the games and on social media. Through this coverage, athletes such as Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and many more have made names for themselves through their stellar on-the-court play and off-the-court appearances.

Zhang notes that the power of social media is often harnessed to support these athletes.

“[Women’s basketball] is just getting more a t t e n t i o n ,” she said. “I think [it’s] due to social media, and how it’s so easy for moments to go viral.

So you know, like with Caitlin Clark, she was doing so great, even in her freshman year, but she didn’t really go viral until you know, the end of her third year.”

Another Paly student, sophomore and basketball player June Tau, has loved watching women’s basketball since she was little and recognizes the increase in popularity and media coverage.

“I honestly see a great improvement within the women’s college basketball media c o v e r a g e ,” Tau said.

“I think that the media is slowly starting to realize that college women’s is interesting.

A l s o when big media stars such as actors, singers, and even male basketball players show their support to young college women athletes the media definitely covers it a lot.”

Laney Amundsen, a women’s basketball player for Cal State Northridge, has a unique experience with media coverage from the other side of the equation.

“From a player’s perspective, media

“I think that the media is slowly starting to realize that college women’s [basketball] is interesting.”

June Tau ‘26

coverage of women’s college basketball in years past, hasn’t been great.” she said.

“Even thinking back to the NCAA tournament during COVID-19, the women’s side had little to no funding compared to the men’s side.

Amundsen adds how the media recently, specifically this past season, has taken a massive surge.

“I will say that within the past year it’s been amazing to see the light being shed on women’s college basketball,” she said. “There are so many talented women out there that are finally getting the attention they deserve, so I hope it continues.”

A primary example of the surge in media coverage is Sabrina Ionescu, a WNBA All-Star for the New York Liberty. She became a household name after breaking the record for most points scored in a three-point contest, between both the NBA and WNBA. At the 2023 WNBA AllStar Weekend, Ionescu totaled 37 points out of the 40 points available, and she knocked down a staggering 25 out of her 27 three-point shot attempts.

After this incredible performance, there was massive debate surrounding who the greatest shooter in the world is: Sabrina Ionescu or Stephen Curry? Amidst the debate, Ionescu challenged Curry to a shootout, and from the men’s three points line, no less. Curry accepted @vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 37

a n d t h e shootout occurred at the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.

Despite high anticipation, excitement, and expectations, the event blew all of that out of the water.

The contest – where Curry just

eked out the win over Ionescu 2926 – garnered 5.4 million average viewers and was the mostwatched NBA All-Star Saturday night in four years. But outside of the ratings, the event brought massive attention to the NBA, WNBA, and women’s inclusivity as a whole, along with raising thousands of dollars for charity. Many young fans watching the sport idolize both Ionescu and Curry and the NBA plans to continue these kinds of events in the future.

Ionescu recognized the event as an opportunity not only to advance her own c a re e r, but also to increase visibility for the talent present in the WNBA as well.

“Knowing that I had the opportunity to kind of pick what line I wanted to shoot from, it was a no-brainer,” Ionescu told reporters. “[I want to] continue to prove that we’re capable and willing. Wanted to continue to equal the playing field and doing so on the biggest stage.”

Tau acknowledges the much-deserved attention that the event brought to women’s sports.

“I watched Steph vs Sabrina and really enjoyed it,” she said. “I think that the NBA should continue incorporating the WNBA into their all-star weekend just because the WNBA doesn’t receive nearly as much attention as the NBA for many reasons but it was nice to see one of the greatest female shooters compete against the greatest male shooter. It also was nice to see Sabrina get the recognition she deserves since she still does hold the three point contest record for both NBA and WNBA.” Paly senior and basketball player Kara Vetter notes one reason why this was

such a big moment for Ionescu and women’s basketball.

“A lot of the reason that [Ionescu] is getting more attention is because she’s getting interactions with big male basketball names,” Vetter said. “I don’t know how common that is, but I definitely think that is a pattern.”

Though some believe that it’s negative that female athletes sometimes need bigger (usually male) basketball players to help give them a larger platform, Vetter thinks that this is an overwhelmingly positive scenario.

“You can see how Steph supports women’s basketball,” she said. “He takes a lot of opportunities to shout out women players. I think that’s a great move for NBA players to be doing because they [the female players] can have sponsorships, like [Stanford player] Cameron Brink has a sponsorship with New Balance and she’s getting a lot of attention.

And they’re able to monetize more. So appearing in commercials with all these NBA stars is really positive.”

Steph Curry is one of many NBA players who are pushing for change in the gender inequality problem within sports.

Curry helps players from the WNBA receive their deserved recognition.

Caitlin Clark is another prominent figure in the women’s basketball scene.

Clark, a senior at the University of Iowa, is known for her difficult shot-making ability and deep three-point range. As a result, she is one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball history.

In fact, on Feb 15, in a game against Michigan, Clark dropped a career-high 49 points, making her career total 3,569.

This number made her the highest-scoring player in women’s college basketball history, beating Kelsey Plum’s previous record of 3,527.

However, Clark was not done yet, as on March 3, Clark brought her total up to 3,685 points, becoming the highest scorer in NCAA basketball history, both men’s and women’s, surpassing the previous record of 3,667 points set by Pete Maravich between 1967-70.

Clark’s recent surge of record-breaking has brought massive attention to her and women’s basketball, with athletes across the country giving her props and congratulating her for her success. The game in which she achieved her record collected over 4 million peak viewers and was the most-watched regular season women’s college basketball game since 1999.

Numerous celebrities, including Travis Scott, were present at the game. Follow-

ing the match, Scott enthusiastically took photos with Clark and the entire team.

The influx of social media posts from NBA icons like LeBron James has amplified the event’s significance, creating widespread attention and boosting its popularity to new heights.

Paly senior Neel Sharma became interested in women’s basketball primarily through Clark’s record-breaking surge.

“I [started watching] mainly because of the uprising of Caitlin Clark,” Sharma said. “She made it a situation where more people knew about women’s college basketball than men’s, and made it really relevant.”

Ever since Caitlin Clark announced she would be declaring for the 2025 WNBA draft, ticket prices for the Indiana Fever (the team with first pick, who are reportedly planning to select her) have surged.

As they hold the important number one pick in the draft, it has undoubtedly increased anticipation amongst Fever and WNBA fans. Currently, the average price of an Indiana Fever ticket stands at $140, which is a remarkable increase of 1 3 3 % from last year ’s average of $60.

Along w i t h t h e o v e ra l l ticket price increase in the WNBA recently, the league has become more popular, selling out more games than ever before and generating the most revenue in the league’s history. As a result, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the league was eyeing a short list of 10 cities for new teams and hoping to add multiple franchises by 2025.

The WNBA, which only has 12 teams in the league currently, is looking to expand the league for the first time since the Atlanta Dream were added in 2008.

One of these cities which may get a new WNBA team is San Francisco, with a new team coming to join the Golden State Warriors in the Chase Center in 2025.

According to Golden State chairman

Joe Lacob, the team will likely be known as “the Golden State,” a name that closely ties it to their owner team, the Golden State Warriors. This is a move that is applauded by many fans who recognize the benefits of linking the two teams.

In English soccer, big club teams like Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, and many more have both mens and womens teams under the same club banner, which helps increase the amount of womens fans since they share jerseys, cheers and general culture with their highly-watched male counterparts. In the case of the new San Francisco WNBA team, their close link to the Warriors might help increase the hype for the new team by easily drawing Warriors fans.

Vetter notes that the Stanford team’s popularity will also create excitement for the new WNBA team. The Cardinals won their final regular season conference championship (before the Pac-12 dissolves next year) and are heading into the NCAA championships with their eyes on the gold. Their coach, Tara VanDerveer recently broke the record of having the most wins in college basketball history with 1,203 wins, beating the record previously held by former Duke men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“They realize that a lot of players are getting so much attention,” Vetter said.

“It’s just a good step forward, and I think they’re trying to capitalize on that [attention] and just also expand viewership, because the Bay Area has a big women’s basketball fan base thanks to Stanford.”

Zhang is hoping that the surge in popularity for NCAA women’s basketball will

“I will say that within the past year it’s been amazing to see the light being shed on women’s college basketball” CSUN basketball player Laney Amundsen

lead t o an increase in viewership for the WNBA as well.

“Right now college basketball is getting super popular, but the WNBA is still kind of behind the viewership,” she said.

“Some people argue it’s because the WNBA doesn’t rake in as much money, and they’re not able to pay as much. But once we see big stars coming in, it’s just a matter of time.”

Amundsen adds how the recognition of college stars will help the WNBA as they make their transition from college to professional basketball.

“I would hope people continue to follow them as they take their next step to the WNBA,” Amundsen said. “This would grow the number of viewers for the WNBA. The growth of women’s basketball does not look like it is stopping anytime soon, as there are many rising stars across both the collegiate and professional level, and the hype and coverage of the sport will continue to see an increase as well, especially as female stars gain more recognition. Soon, we could see the WNBA grow even more and hope to add more teams, eventually expanding to be as big as the NBA’s 30 teams.

The movement in women’s basketball has allowed for women’s inclusivity and growth. Women’s basketball is leading the way for other women’s sports to follow in its footsteps, further growing the foundation for women’s athletics to become as popular and respected as their male counterparts. @vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 39

GAME

CHANGER

by CLAIRE CHO, SCARLETT FRICK, and KAMILI FOSSATI-MOIANE

photos courtesy of CELESTE BATES and KAREN AMBROSEHICKEY

Recently, many sports have experienced new rule changes or additions to their game on the high school, collegiate, and professional level, and Paly students and members of the community have a lot to say about them.

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contact and play will continue. For third or attacking contacts the old rule will apply.”

From now on, all NCAA volleyball players are now able to touch the ball twice in the same attempt on a team’s second contact, which will specifically affect the position of the setter, as they can now double-touch the ball on the second contact of the play (when they set the ball).

Hambly believes this new rule is a benefit, as the rule was a gray area before.

“We are removing one of the subjective rulings in the sport of volleyball,” Hambly said.

“The reality is every set is a double contact, noone contacts it exactly at the same time. [The rule was] just up to the official to decide if it is close enough to a single contact to be ‘legal’.”

According to Hambly, the advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages.

“One other positive, is that it will help continue play, which is better for the fans and the players, no-one really wants to have a play ended by a whistle,” Hambly said. “Let the players decide.”

While the change can be beneficial to the fans and overall flow of the game, some players like

Paly junior setter Sophie Mies (pictured at right) are upset with this alteration, as it changes the technique they have been working at achieving for a while.

“On one hand, it’s sad for the players that have worked for a long time trying to perfect their setting and not double, which is annoying,” Mies said. “Players have worked hard not to double.

But also, I never thought that doubling affected a play that much, and it takes a lot of pressure off the setter or libero when they set.”

Overall, this rule seems to be a benefit to the game of volleyball and for setters of the NCAA by speeding up the game play without significant referee interference, although it still remains confusing for others.

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Recently, the NCAA made a change to the way volleyball setters see the game. Stanford Women’s Volleyball Coach and Paly parent Kevin Hambly explains the change to the game.

“The rule change eliminates a double contact call provided the ball stays on the same side of the net,” Hambly said. “Basically, on first contacts and second contacts there can be double

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Sophie Mies (‘25) Varsity Girls Volleyball

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The NFHS federations board of directors approved a rule change in its eyewear rule for field hockey. Charlotte Barclay, a Paly sophomore on the varsity field hockey team explains the change.

“The new rule is that players no longer have to wear goggles during games for field hockey,” Barclay said.

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The now-changed rule that is found in the federation’s Field Hockey Rules Book had been carried out since 2011 and said that “players shall wear eye protection that met the ASTM standard for field hockey at the time of manufacture.” It has now been changed to “goggles may be worn by all field hockey players.”

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Ella Bishop (‘24) Varsity Field Hockey

Although safety issues could be a concern, Barclay expresses her overall approval of the rule change.

“I think it’s a great rule because the goggles really obstruct your ability to play as well as you can,” Barclay said. “The goggles also limit your potential on the field, especially as a forward player. It allows players to have a better view of the field, as well as

creating better passes, better shots, and as a defender, it’s easier to see the ball to stop it.” Despite the benefits, Barclay also acknowledges the negative aspects of the rule change.

“I think there is something to be said about it [safety],” Barclay said. “It is safer to wear them because field hockey balls are really hard and it would hurt a lot if you were to get hit in the face.” @vikingsportsmag | MARCH 2024 | 41

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Water polo’s new rule is that there is a cone on either side of the pool representing a line in front of the goal that typically players are not allowed to pass unless they’re holding the ball. Entering this area without the ball will result in a turnover.

However, the new rule allows for players to pass beyond this line when far enough from the goal. Essentially, if the player is 2

meters away from the cage on either side, going inside this invisible line is allowed because the angle of a potential shot is bad enough that it doesn’t provide a shooting advantage to get closer. This can create a change in how plays are arranged, specifically when it comes to structural movement, as the new rule provides the advantage of an inside look in front of the cage.

“I think that players may adjust their offensive tactics, focusing less on two-meter plays and more on dynamic movement,” Katie Spitzer (‘25) said. “Defenders might need to change their game, because they could be more aggressively marked.”

The biggest change this new rule brings to water polo surrounds a specific type of play, where the team on offense has an ad-

vantage over the defensive team by one player, called a six-on-five play, which occurs after a defensive player is ejected after a major foul, leaving the offense with six players and the defense with five.

“With six-on-five, it will give a team more options,” Spitzer said. “New plays can come from this, and overall the rule promotes a faster, fairer game.”

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Sabrina Meyers (‘27) Varsity Water Polo

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is in the critical scoring area, then it is a whistle start. Previously, you would have to stop and wait for the player who committed the foul to get behind the play.”

Basically, players are able to continue moving after a foul has been called in their favor, which keeps the game moving fluidly.

“I think it’s a good change,” Bishop said. “It makes the game less choppy and it creates a greater advantage. You are able to use the foul to get past the defense or just catch them off guard.”

However, a benefit for the offense is a detriment for the defense.

“Of course, though, if you are the defending team that committed the foul, then it is harder to find your marks and re-defend,” Bishop said.

Bishop, a member of the Paly lacrosse team, normally plays a defense position, but finds that this rule actually helps her play instead of inhibiting it.

“I play primarily on defense and this new rule has helped me when I am transitioning the ball up to the other half of the field,” Bishop said. “I will often be fouled as I am running up and this new rule allows me to continue and get the ball out of our defensive half faster.”

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Paly senior and member of the varsity lacrosse team Ella Bishop explains the new rule in girls lacrosse.

“One of the most impactful new rules for this season is the removal of the requirement that players stop moving after a foul has been called in their favor,” Bishop said. “This is applied unless the play

Paly alumni Varsity Girls Lacrosse

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BALL

The Rule

The MLB recently instituted a pitch clock set at 15 seconds with the bases empty and 20 seconds with runners on base, meaning pitchers now have a shorter window in which they must throw their pitch.

This rule change dropped the average time of a nine-inning major league game to 2 hours and 40 minutes long, a 24-minute decrease in a season of change that resulted in a spike in batting average and the most stolen bases in nearly 40 years.

This is because with less time to plan and set up for a pitch, pitchers can focus less on opponents trying to steal a base or lining up the perfect pitch.

In an age where consumers have shorter attention spans and there are more entertainment options than ever, baseball’s notoriously leisurely pace threatens the appeal of the sport. To combat this, MLB instituted the pitch clock.

Tommy Stanton is a Northwestern senior and a White Sox fan, who is doing his honors thesis on the impact of the recent rule changes in baseball. Stanton shares his thoughts on the new, faster paced adjustment.

“If a pitcher doesn’t deliver the pitch by the time the clock hits 0, a ball is called, and if the batter is not ready before the 8 second mark, a strike is called,” Stanton explained.

The pitch clock was first implemented in the 2023 season, and at first, Stanton wasn’t a fan, since players had not yet adapted to the new rules.

“I was somewhat apprehensive at first, as pitchers were getting lots of pitch clock violations early in the year and it threatened to dominate the storyline of games,” Stanton said. “Very quickly, though, pitchers settled into a new rhythm, and violations became very infrequent. I really enjoyed the faster pace of the game, with less waiting in between pitches.”

Overall, the majority of baseball fans are happy with the new change, as baseball is a widely enjoyed sport, but a longer game. The new faster pace may help garner new fans and create a stronger baseball culture. Stanton points out that the pitch clock has helped eliminate some of the more heinous moments of waiting in baseball.

“There’s a pretty hilarious video of Pedro Baez of the Dodgers taking 111 seconds to throw a pitch during the 2016 playoffs,

and the clock has done away with blatant time-wasting like that,” Stanton said.

In this iconic moment, even baseball’s legendary commentator Joe Buck struggled to fill the agonizing wait, asking his co-commentator, “Kenny, would you like to fill some time here?” Fortunately, Joe Buck won’t have to worry about vamping anymore, thanks to this new rule, which also has successfully attracted more fans.

“The clock seems to have worked, too” Stanton explained.

“MLB per-game attendance was up 9.1% this year, the largest increase in 30 years.”

And for Stanton, it makes watching his team, the White Sox, a bit more enjoyable; the Sox’s 2023 season was historically terrible, getting the fourth-worst score record in the majors.

“Selfishly, as a diehard White Sox fan, it made it a lot more bearable for me to watch my team play because I knew it would all be over sooner,” he said, laughing.

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F TBALL The Rule

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Kessler said.

But the rule used to be that if the first team scored a touchdown, then the game would be over and the other team wouldn’t even get the chance to try and score.

“This would basically guarantee that whoever won the overtime coin flip would win the game,” Kessler said.

Though the rule change on the surface increases the fairness of the game by decreasing the chance of winning purely due to luck, Kessler feels that the rule change will make the game more difficult to follow.

“While I think the NFL tried to make overtime

more fair, I think the rule just made it confusing for fans and more importantly, to players,” Kessler said. “But I do think the rules are much better considering it gives each team a chance to win the game.”

x x x x x Jake Wang (‘26) Varsity Football

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The Thought

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The NFL recently implemented a new rule for playoffs where during overtime, both teams get a chance to get the ball so they both have a chance to score.

“If the team that gets the first ball doesn’t score, kicks a field goal, or if the score is tied after both teams possess the ball, the net score would win the game,” Paly junior and football player Joseph

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The Thought

DIVING

by ALENA LOTTERER and LUKE JOACHIM The Viking Staff attempts diving, learning the deeper levels of the sports’ challenges and complexity. Diving is a niche sport that has rapidly been gaining popularity throughout the United States.

Going up on a platform dozens of feet above deep water and jumping off of it again and again may not seem like everyone’s cup of tea, but Paly’s diving team is awash with talented divers who eagerly approach the challenge of completing difficult dives to perfection. They undeniably make it look easy, but how hard is it, really?

Viking took to the board to find out in this issue’s Viking tries.

The Sport Diving is a very niche and often overlooked sport. Requiring flexibility to get into small tuck and pike flipping positions, strength to achieve elegant flipping positions and gain height off the diving board, elegance that makes every dive look easy, and an incredible amount of bravery to conquer impressive skills and tricks, diving is a more unpopular sport. Good diving takes strength from almost every muscle in the body as well as an incredible amount of mental strength. When learning new dives with more twists, flips, and directions for flipping, fears develop about getting lost in the air, hitting the diving board, and flopping in the water.

Would the staff be able to overcome these challenges and learn how to perform graceful and difficult dives?

Viking Learns the Basics In light of the the Paly Swim and Dive team kicking off the season and defending some CCS titles, Viking magazine staff members sophomore Scarlett Frick (swimmer and water polo player), sophomore

Sarah Thieman (swimmer and field hockey player), sophomore Amanda Goody (swimmer and water polo player), and senior Tyler Frick (basketball player) worked with Paly diving coach (and former member of the national team of Canada) Megan Parker to try out the sport.

Parker worked with the staff members to teach them four very basic dives. Our staff quickly learned that there’s a plethora of work and body control put into diving.

“I didn’t realize a lot of little technical things like balancing on the diving board, landing a certain distance from the board, how tight you have to be in the air, having your feet pointed and together, how to make minimal splash, and grabbing your hands a certain way just to do a very simple dive,” Scarlett Frick said.

The staff members felt overwhelmed by the amount of techniques it takes to properly execute a dive.

“Just from watching it, the divers make it look so graceful and effortless, and then doing it you realize, oh, I have to stay really tight, like squeezing your core and pointing your feet and keeping your hands tight and just lots of other little things,” Thieman said. “There’s just so many things to think about when diving.”

bers picked up more confidence after their first dives. Each staff member started off with a front jump straight (commonly known as a pencil dive). Learning to do a proper take off from the diving board and the technique to look graceful in the air, every staff member successfully completed a front jump straight.

Moving on to a front jump with a tuck position, the staff members were a little more shaky.

Their first attempts were used to sort out their confusion of when (in the air) they should get into the tuck and avoid colliding with the water in a cannonball. On their second attempt, each staff member was able to develop better timing, which will prove important for when they later learn a front dive tuck, which is where you enter head first, instead of feet first.

As the staff moved on to learn their third dive, a front line-up (a dive where instead of jumping and going in head first, the diver just leans forward and falls into the water head first), they are a bit more nervous for their first head first dive.

After getting a hang of the front line-up, the staff was ready to learn a front dive straight, where the diver jumps up and dives down in a rainbow shape, a bit like a swimming dive.

“Learning the front dive felt scarier because with adding a jump to the dive, there was so much more to think about and I didn’t want to get hurt if I didn’t do

“There’s just so many things to think about when diving.”

- Sarah Thieman ‘26

Staff Takes the Plunge(s) Despite some trepidation, the staff mem-

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the proper hand position going into the water,” Goody said.

Given the importance of confidence to excel in the sport, Coach Parker comforts staff members’ fears in learning certain dives with how it’s common to experience fear in diving.

“Diving is a sport where on top of needing strength and needing flexibility, you also have to have mental toughness because it is a scary sport,” Coach Parker said.

Getting over their fears, the staff was able to perform some strong front dive straights.

“The coach gave really helpful instruction that made everything easier and broke things down well, so after I got off my first attempt, I was like oh this isn’t that bad… and when you apply the critiques from the coach it’s crazy what differences it can make, even in my very short amount of time learning to dive,” Thieman said.

To wrap up their diving experience, our staff “competed” their newly learned front jump straight, front line up, and tuck to be scored by Coach Parker. The staff showed off their new knowledge of the sport as each person was able to use the right technique for entering the water tight to make a smaller splash. While Thieman’s and Scarlett Frick’s strengths were their elegance and grace going off the board,

Tyler Frick showed good body control and Goody showed good air awareness. Tyler Frick ultimately had the highest average score, taking the victory.

Takeaways Our staff gained many new insights on the many layers of physical and mental skills and techniques that it takes to be a diver.

“Because I’m a swimmer, I have seen diving before, but I never really thought much about the work that gets put into it and how much technique it takes,” Scarlett Frick said. “If I were to do a much harder dive, I don’t know how you’re able to think about all those little techniques and just all the nerves you have to suppress to do the harder dives.”

In addition, the staff members learned a lot more just about how the sport works.

“I never knew how they had to compete so many dives,” Scarlett Frick said. “I thought you picked one dive, said that’s

“Diving is a sport where on top of needing strength and needing flexibility, you also have to have mental toughness.”

- Coach Megan Parker

Front Tuck

Rainbow Dive

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my dive, and just got good at that, but you have to learn many dives in so many different directions and have the confidence to do them with just one chance in the meet.”

Overall, our staff exceeded expectations on the sport and had a fun time learning all the factors of diving that aren’t super obvious when just hearing about the sport.

“I thought I wasn’t going to be very great because I don’t have experience in gymnastics or anything like that, and it felt a lot harder to do the dives in comparison to watching actual divers and they make it look so graceful and effortless,” Goody said. “I wasn’t looking forward to it in the beginning, but it was fun once I had done my first couple dives and followed the coach’s instructions.”

Ultimately, each of our staff members developed a new respect for diving after trying out diving. It’s a sport that looks a lot easier than it actually is after taking account of all the aspects needed to consistently get good scores.

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Inflation

text by TYLER HARRISON design by TYLER FRICK

As a result of increased cap space and big markets, athletes in every sport are making more money than ever. How does this affect the free agent market, as well as player and team success?

O

ne of the emerging trends of the 2010’s professional sports landscape was the concept of the ‘Super Team’. The term super team was used to describe teams with rosters composed of numerous superstar players. While super teams did exist previously, including teams such as the 2008 Boston Celtics, it became a much more common occurrence in 2017.

After the eventful 2016 season for the Golden State Warriors, in which they set the regular season wins record with 73 wins – but fell short in the NBA finals to Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers – Kevin Durant (one of the league’s biggest stars) jumped ship from Oklahoma City to join the greatest re g u l a r season Average NBA team of all time. player salary Durant in 2013 came to the Bay for the 2017 season after becoming a free agent once his contract with the Thunder was up.

After signing Durant, the Warriors became one of the most dominant forces the NBA had ever seen. Their success would motivate front offices across all of pro-

fessional sports to try to recreate Golden State’s dynasty, becoming one of the most successful examples of a super team.

Super teams have occasionally proved to be troublesome, as combining multiple superstars on one roster can lead to numerous different issues. Trying to balance contracts for a roster of superstars can be difficult for front offices, and numerous issues for the teammates and players themselves.

In the NBA, it can lead to chemistry issues, as teams have multiple players who could be the first option on offense. When you have multiple stars who all believe they should be the one doing all the scoring, be the face of every poster, and have their name in every headline, it causes issues Average NBA w i t h running player salary a cohein 2023 sive team.

However, these issues haven’t stopped teams from attempting to cram as many elite players as possible onto their rosters. Nor have these issues always presented themselves. The Warriors, for example, at the height of their super team era, still had strong team chemistry

$4.8 $8.5 million million

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that led them to success.

The NFL off season is always eventful, as teams look to draft new players, extend current stars, and sign free agents. Creating the best NFL roster possible (and maybe seeking to become a super team) will be slightly easier this year for owners, as the salary cap has been increased.

A salary cap is the maximum amount that teams have to spend on players’ salaries, and going over the cap will result in a punishment from the league. So in an era of historically massive player contracts, such as Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow’s $275 million dollar, five year deal, teams with elite quarterbacks have struggled to remain under the cap, typically underpaying their smaller-name players in order to create the most money available for their stars.

But this year owners and general managers have had more room to work with.

The NFL announced that the salary cap for 2024 will be $255.4 million. This $30.6 million increase from 2023’s cap is the largest increase in the league’s history. The cap increases yearly, but a $30 million increase is extremely unprecedented. The NFL’s press release stated that the cap increase was in part to make up for payments deferred during the 2020 COVID season.

This occurrence isn’t just happening in football. According to Spotrac, the NBA salary cap sits at $136 million in 2023. As the NBA continues to rake in more and more revenue, the cap has increased steadily every single year since 2013 – oth-

er than a minor two year plateau due to COVID. Most notably, the cap spiked in the summer of 2016, allowing the Warriors to create room for Durant.

Increased cap and contract loopholes like this are aiding huge markets in forming super teams, and no one city is a better example of this than Los Angeles. Anytime a superstar becomes a free agent, Los Angeles teams immediately become a potential landing spot, no matter how successful the roster may already be.

Not all professional sports leagues are as lucky as the NFL when it comes to their spending limits, as the MLB’s luxury tax begins at the lower price of $233 million.

The MLB doesn’t have a hard salary cap like the NFL, but rather has a ‘Luxury tax’ that is enforced when teams reach a certain dollar amount. This has led to some massive contracts in recent years, particularly one in Los Angeles.

As the MLB s e a s o n begins, o n c e again t h e Dodgers have s o m e how added another superstar to their roster, but this time in record breaking fashion, as the $700-million dollar, ten year contract given to their new pitcher Shohei Ohtani is the largest in sports history. Staying under the MLB’s luxury tax will be easy for the Dodgers though, as they were able to defer most of his money until after the contract is over. Over the next ten years Ohtani will receive only two million dollars a year. Once the ten year contract is up, he will get the rest of his deferred money, in the form of a yearly $68 million dollar payment from 2034 to 2043.

In my opinion, the opportunities for super teams and massive contracts now presented by larger cap and contract loopholes have both positive and negative effects. The negative aspects of these trends are that teams with the biggest markets like the Dodgers, Yankees, or Cowboys now have the opportunity to monopolize the free agent market.

Watching as the richest franchises in their respective leagues throw incomprehensible amounts of money at star free agents in hopes to build a cham-

pionship winning team can be difficult for fans. It becomes a positive feedback loop: the wealthier teams buy out the biggest stars, who bring fans and m o r e reven u e w i t h them, m a k ing the t e a m s even wealthier.

I believe that players should be making as much money as possible in relation to the owners of the teams; owners make their money off of their players, and players should be compensated fairly. While it may seem unnecessary f o r players to earn i n s a n e amounts of money, I believe that they deserve the majority of the revenue

generated from their work. At the end of the day, the athletes are the main reason these leagues are growing at the rate that they are. Lamar Jackson may have signed a $260 million dollar contract for only five years, but who in the Baltimore Ravens’ organization would be more deserving of that money than the two time MVP. Contracts may continue to get more and more outlandish, but the power still truly belongs to the players. Hopefully star players can still sometimes prioritize helping a team grow and develop together rather than bouncing around their respective leagues chasing their next payday or shot at winning a championship.

Stephen Curry’s $201 million contract was the most expensive per year in NBA history

Joe Burrow’s $275 million contract was the most expensive per year in NFL history

$134 Million

$63 Million

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NBA Salary Cap by Year (data from Statista)

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

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Freshman Hannah Oh chases down a Los Gatos swimmer in the 100 yard breastroke during Paly’s meet against the Cats on Friday, March 15, 118-67. Photo by Grace Gormley.