Viking Volume 3 Issue 3 - How Athletic is Paly?

100 Cardinal Way Redwood City, CA 94063-4755 (650) 385-5000

Volume 3 Issue #3 December 2009

Staff List Editors-in-Chief Christine Chang Emily Fowler Cassie Prioleau

Business Managers Sophie Biffar Chase Cooper Wade Hauser

Section Editors Lauren Hammerson Hana Kajimura

Staff Mary Albertolle George Brown Michael Cullen Brandon Dukovic Will Glazier Alex Kershner Cooper Levitan Sam Maliska Grace Marshall Talia Moyal Dustin Nizamian Mariah Philips Mark Raftrey Marco Scola Allie Shorin Spencer Sims Jack Smale Alistair Thompson

Photo Editor Malaika Drebin Design Editor Varun Kohli In Depth Features Editor Kylie Sloan Copy Editors Sam Greene Erin Kiekhaefer Statistician Sana Bakshi

Adviser Ellen Austin

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

Advertising in The Viking The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with The Viking, please contact the The Viking by e-mail at vikingeds @gmail.com or call 650-329-3837 for more information.

Printing Services The Viking is printed six times a year by Fricke-Parks Press in Fremont, Calif.

KICKOFF 6 | STAFF VIEw Making the choice between being a JV star or varsity benchwarmer can be a hard one; The Viking offers a possible solution.

7| BEHIND THE PHOTOS 8| ZOOM 10| HOT/NOT METEr AND By THE NuMBErS 12|ZOOM 14| TEN Qs wITH TrEVOr LOVELESS 15| INSIDE THE MIND OF JOSE TOCHEZ 16| HOLIDAy gIFT guIDE 18| THE grEAT DEBATE: IS AN ATHLETE BOrN Or MADE?

by Sam Greene and Sam Maliska

photo credits (clockwise from top left): malaika drebin, hana kajimura, drebin, cassie prioleau, creative commons, talia moyal, drebin. cover: photography by malaika drebin, photo illustrations by malaika drebin and hana kajimura.

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TEAMS 26 | wINTEr PrEVIEwS A quick overview of the winter sports, basketball, soccer and wrestling, coming up this season.

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The Li

December 20

Volume III, Issu

24 26

29

PrOFILES

TrENDS 20 | CrASH COurSE

The level of danger involved in some of the worlds most popular sports.

by Mark Raftrey

24 | THE BEST SPOrTS MASCOTS

The nation’s best mascots ranked in several different categories.

by Cooper Levitan and Will Glazier

29 | CONTINuINg THE LEgACy

The story of Paly’s Joseph Lin (‘10) and Kevin Brown (‘10) following in the steps of their brothers Jeremy Lin and Steven Brown and how they were motivated to pursue the legacy.

by Brandon Dukovic and Talia Moyal

34 | DrIVINg INSPIrATION

Four year varsity soccer player Maeve Stewart (‘10) leads her team to victory as team captain.

by Allie Shorin

37 | JuDON’T wANT TO MESS Ryan Oshima (‘12) shares his experience as a national judo wrestler and a varsity wrestler at Paly.

by Mary Albertolle

Lineup

er 2009 III, Issue III

FEATurES

LAST wOrD

54 | CONFESSIONS OF A JV uPPErCLASSMAN

61 | CALENDAr

Upperclassmen find themselves considering their athletic careers once offered a spot on JV.

by Erin and Mariah Phillips

A reflection and solution to pee problems in the pool.

by Michael Cullen

62 | THE LAST wOrD

57 | COMMITTED

Recruited athletes skip the stress of senior year.

by Gracie Marshall

48

57

62 64

ISSuES 42 | rELIgION IN SPOrTS

A look into the influence that religion has on athletes in their pursuit of success in today’s athletic world.

by Alistair Thompson

48 | HOw ATHLETIC IS PALy

The most athletic schools in the bay area in comparison to Paly athletics based on extensive statistical analysis. Check out the behind the photos section (pg. 7) to see how we took the cover photos.

by Alex Kershner

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issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

staff view I

features

last word

JV star or varsity benchwarmer?

t’s an issue that affects every major sport at Paly.

One that can define a career and make or break a season. The choice is between varsity, with the status, level of play, and JV, offering individual success and invaluable playing time. For Paly athletes who fall somewhere in between the two levels, the question is simple, yet daunting: JV standout or varsity sit-out?

There are many considerations when deciding whether an athlete should play at the JV or varsity level. These include an athlete’s underlying motives for playing high school sports: athletes who plan to take their game to the next level will, understandably, have a different outlook than those whose careers will end on Paly turf. The Viking cannot provide a single golden solution, but rather provide a general framework within which the Paly athlete can begin to formulate his or her correct choice.

help new teammates from their same grade keep up with the steep learning curve of adapting to the varsity game.

Perhaps the most profound dichotomy in this issue is between the interests of the program and individual ambition. For a rising athlete, the urge to get in the game and succeed can trump all other factors.

The life of a varsity bench-warmer is an odd tradeoff. An athlete commits hours upon hours of his life to practice, off season workouts and games. He spends the lion’s share of that time playing on scout teams and game simulations to improve his starting teammates.

When game time comes, he cheers his team on from the sideline, keeps the books or occasionally fills a vacated spot. In exchange, an athlete learns the nuances of the varsity game and practicing against a superior level of competition forces him to raise his level of play.

Among the positive aspects of playing on JV are the amount of playing time and resulting in-game experience. Athletes who straddle the border often have the opportunity to not only start on, but also to dominate the JV game. One could argue that these athletes will develop their game more from playing in games than their varsity counterparts warming the bench.

Counter to this idea is the notion that the “best of the worst”, JV stars, improve less from their in-game experience than the “worst of the best”, varsity benchwarmers, achieve through practice. Although this statement varies with individual cases, The Viking feels that practicing alongside superior competition is an altogether surer method for improvement.

Leadership is another crucial dimension in the JV/ varsity question.

On JV, an athlete can be a team captain and grow as a leader, as well as gain confidence from individual success.

Athletes build confidence from the knowledge that they are good enough to play at the highest level in high school. An extra year on varsity also paves the way to a future leadership role. As for team chemistry, athletes who have spent an extra year on varsity can

The Viking believes that sitting the bench on varsity is for the most part the wiser decision. The lone caveat to our view is that a player brought up to varsity ought to contribute something to the team, if not traditional in-game play. Whether it be pinch-running, playing on special teams or simply simulating an opposing defense, pulling a JV player up to varsity should always be done out of a concrete team need.

For athletes faced with the decision, it might seem easier to play in a comfortable environment with teammates from the same grade.

However, sacrificing individual glory in the present often proves to be worth the eventual varsity success that so characterizes Paly sports. An old saying goes, “The reason people fail is because they give up what they want most for what they want at the moment.”

Not all athletes who sacrifice for the benefit of the program reap the benefits of their hard work and The Viking is genuinely grateful for such unsung heroes as these. Regardless of the tangible results, the principle of pushing oneself to the highest possible level is an invaluable trait that will serve an athlete well in all walks of life — whether on the field or off. <<<

The Viking feels that practicing alongside superior competition is an altogether surer method for improvement.

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Behind

T H E

Photos

This issue, The Viking decided to try something totally new and bright for the cover. With our sports silhouettes, inspired in part by the original iPod commercials, photographer Malaika Drebin combined our signature photo work with new editing techniques.

Drebin used a white backdrop and aimed two strobes at it to create a pure white backlight. The models posed in front of the lights, creating silhouettes. To create the colorful backgrounds, we simply adjusted the levels of color in Photoshop.

Though the shoot was relatively simple, we had a few scary experiences: a volleyball serve hit the camera, and an overzealous bicycle kick almost knocked the set to the ground. The Viking would like to thank all of the athlete models for their patience and cooperation, as well as Bob Drebin for helping with the equipment.

letter to the editors I just read “What it Takes” (Issue 1, p. 48) and I wanted to offer my sincere congratulations. With the exception of a few typos, I thought this article was dead-on, well-written and perfect for the cover story.

I liked very much the treatment of multiple issues such as economics (my personal favorite), effects on school, personal life, getting into college, professional aspirations, dealing with the media and the sacrifices required and much evidence to back up and support the assertions made.

Marco’s treatment of the NCAA and its rules is very timely and the semi-professionalization of collegiate athletes is a disturbing reality that Marco makes vivid in his article. I was im-

pressed by the effortless flow of sports knowledge from Rule 4 Draft eligibility to NCAA regulations and this shows authority in his writing.

At Paly, we are blessed with many intelligent and wonderful writers and Marco’s article certainly should place him very high among that group. Keep up the good work, -- Grant Blackburn, Paly history teacher

COrrECTIONS - In last month’s piece, “Paly’s Competitive Edge-ucators”, Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson was incorrectly referred to as the head baseball coach at San Mateo College. He was the head coach at San Mateo High School.

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ZOOM

Alex Freeman (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10) takes a throw-in during the Vikings â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; opening home game against St. Ignatius last Tuesday, ending in a 1-1 tie.

Photo by Talia Moyal

Photo by Talia Moyal

ZOOM

Gerrit van Zyll (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;12) wins the ball from a St. Ignatius attacker in Palyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first home game of the season.

issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

features

last word

BY THE NUMBERS

number of matches won in the 2009 volleyball season.

The team broke the previous school record of 34 wins from the 2000 season.

Judo weight class that Ryan Oshima (‘12) competed in for the national tournament.

Underclassmen on varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer and basketball teams.

55% + 1(5) + 42 = 102

The equation that puts Paly as the second most athletic school compared to other schools in CCS. (% of student body on Paly teams + # of CCS championships + # of teams)

The PoP CulTure Grid

10

Nehika Miglani (Basketball ‘10)

AJ Castillo (wrestling ‘10)

Scott Alexander (Soccer ‘10)

Tiger woods is...

in deep s**t

a good role model

screwed

give or receive this holiday season?

Receive

Receive

Both

Favorite character from The Office?

Michael

Dwight’s brother Mose

...would play me in a movie

John Travolta

when I feel like dancing I put on.....

Thizzle Dance

3

Number of times varsity boys’ soccer has tied – already more than last year.

Brooke Alexander (Soccer‘13)

a cheater

Tory Prati (Basketball ‘12) not what I thought he was

Both

Is that even a question?

Receive

I don’t have time to watch TV

Kevin Malone

Phyllis Vance

Bernie Mac

Matt LeBlanc

Queen Latifah

Matt Damon

D**k in a box

Getting on the Floor

Milkshake

Meet Me Halfway... that’s my jam right now

From left to right, photos by Malaika Drebin and Talia Moyal

72kg

36

or

toby Gerhart Stanford’s senior tailback rushed for 205 yards and three TD’s, and added an 18-yard TD pass in a nationally televised victory over Notre Dame on Nov. 28. His reward? An invitation to New York as one of five Heisman trophy finalists.

Paly Boys’ Lacrosse After several years of calling for lacrosse at Paly, the sports gods hath delivered. Following the successful introduction of girls’ lacrosse in 2008, LAX boys will field their first team starting this spring.

Bhangra The popular Indian dance has hit Paly with full force. With a sensational lunch performance on Dec. 9, the Bhangra club thrust the trendy dance into the spotlight with catchy music and high energy dancing. The next Jerk? Only time will tell.

tiger woods

Paly Boys’ soccer tie streak After ending last year’s season in a tie for the CCS championship, this year’s squad has kept the streak alive. The team has already tied its first three games, matching last year’s total number of ties for the season.

the BCs system With five teams finishing the regular season unbeaten, and only two able to play for a national title, cries for a playoff system are growing louder than ever. The real question: is it time the NCAA starts listening?

New Jersey Nets Beginning the season 0-18 (an NBA record worst), the Nets have already fired their head coach and find themselves searching for answers. Where is the silver lining, you ask? Stanford grad Brook Lopez leads the squad with 18.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.

NOT

Really, Tiger?

Really...?

.. . f l e urs

Yo n i a xpl

E

SpoTlight GaME SpoT 1/12/10 paLY SoCCER vs. Gunn Both the Paly boys’ and girls’ soccer teams will go head-to-head against crosstown rival Gunn High School on Jan. 12. Both Paly teams came away with victories in last year’s matchup on Jan. 23, 2009. The teams play at 3:30: the boys @ Gunn, the girls @ Paly. They hope to maintain the Paly tradition of athletic superiority over Gunn.

Photo by Talia Moyal

From left to right, photos by Malaika Drebin and Talia Moyal

HoT

Jeremy Lin The Paly grad dropped 30 points and nine boards in Harvard’s Dec. 6 showdown with 13th ranked UConn. After the game, Huskies coach Jim Calhoun called Lin “One of the better kids, including Big East guards, who have come in here in quite some time.”

Can you say, “NBA”?

BREAKING NEWS I really liked her deodorant. It smelled really good. I couldn’t resist.

-Emy Kelty (‘12)

Basketball coach Slayton let go midseason, Roehl presumed to replace him as head coach.

--Read the full story on voice.paly.net

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Photo by Brandon Dukovic

Lady Vikes girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cross country team anxiously waits on the starting line during the CCS Finals at Crystal Springs. The girls placed 9th overall, ending their season.

ZOOM

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

Defensive back Brendon Rider (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10) tries to stop Bellarmine Prepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offense. The Vikings fell to the Bells 34-6 in the first roud of CCS playoffs, ending their season.

ZOOM

10 Questions

with

Trevor Loveless

WHO KNOWS SENIOR BASKETBALL STAr TREVOR LOVELESS BEST? FrIEND DREW PEARSON, FATHEr ALAN LOVELESS, or LOVE INTErEST SARAH KORTSCHAK? as told to Marco Scola

photos left to right by Sana Bakshi, Sana Bakshi, Talia Moyal, Lauren Hammerson

Trevor Loveless

Drew Pearson

Alan Loveless

Sarah Kortschak

Turd

McLovin

Turd

I’m not saying ‘Turd’

Nickname

Panini

Go-To Snack

Grilled Cheese

Root beer Float

Gummies

Brooke Alexander

Dream Date

Walker Harden

We Never Talk Women

Taylor Lautner

Golf Handicap

9

6.2

8

45?

Some Army Game When You Put The Headphones On

Halo

Call of Duty

Favorite Video Game

Sevens Jeans or a BMW

Top of Christmas List

First Kiss

New Car

Me

UCLA

Dream College

Scripps

UCLA

Haha... USC

Nikki or Alan

Alan

Me, duh

Alan

Stu Scott

Chris Berman

Linda Cohn

$50

$0

$-1,500

30% Correct

50% Correct

Alan

Stu Scott $0

Images taken from

Favorite SportsCenter Anchor Current Balance on Online Poker Account

Halo

20% correct

Inside the Jose Mind Tochez

Jose Tochez (‘11), a 215 pounder who destroys everyone in the ring that tries to take him down, was kind enough to talk to the The Viking about what goes on in his mind.

“

By S P E N C E r SIM S

of

Macho Libre

Photography by Malaika Drebin

restling on wrestling

on his nicKnames

’m on the Salvadorian olympic team. My i’m record is infinity and 0. Nah, i’m just kidding. in all seriousness, i had my first tournament and i went four and zero. i am making a bold predic’m going to go undefeated tion: i’m for the entire season like the ‘74 olphins. Check the date. dolphins. i don’t know if that’s the right year.

i have multiple nicknames. My favorite is Toch, and PBT(Pretty Boy Toch). i think it’s cool having nicknames ‘cause only the biggest bosses have nicknames like the Great Bambino. on fashion

on football

it’s all about Abercrombie, North Face and Puma shoes. on game day, i go all out in swag with multiple under Armours and striped socks.

i didn’t get much playing time, but i was always swagged out for every game. Just ask my boy Mike. “he was always looking good.” Michael Cullen (‘11) said. “he had like four different colors on his arms at once.” i had the best hands of all the offensive linemen.

playThat’s my team. My favorite play Jeter and A-rod, and ers are derek d i was happy when they won the World Series this year. i like them because my dad is from New Jersey, and he liked the team.

on food

on Pregame with toch

i’ve often been criticized for my financial decisions when it comes to food– Just ask my boy Mike. e spent $15 on three “he meatballs at Mayfield,” Cullen said.

My favorite food is a New York steak, medium-well.

Before every game i do an episode of “pregame with Toch” with different guests. historically, anyone who has ever been on “Pregame with Toch” has performed well that day. Kids have even said, ‘hey, can i go on Pregame with Toch, ‘cause it’s a big game.’ And i say, ‘naw sorry i’m booked,’ cause it’s my show.

on the Yan YanKees

Pow!

“

on the catalina wine mixer

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issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

last word

features

Holiday GIFt GuIDE design by Cooper Levitan

Stumped on what to get a sporty friend this holiday season?

The Viking staff shares what’s at the top of its wishlist this season to give you a little inspiration.

Adrenaline Rasta Socks $7.99

“I can’t explain it. If you can’t tell [why I want them] by looking at them, you’re crazy.”

-Emily Fowler (‘10)

Nike Headband/Earwarmer $15.00

“I gotta keep my precious ears safe from the cold during soccer games.”

-Alex Kershner (‘11)

Electric Blaster Sunglasses $109.99

“A sweet pair of shades is the centerpiece of any true lax bro’s get-up. It’s a major part of my laxformation.”

-Dustin Nizamian (‘11)

Wilson A2000 Baseball Glove $199.99

“I need a new glove, and A2000’s are sick.”

-Sam Maliska (‘11) http://is.gd/5k3Me (snowman), http://is.gd/5k3Ce (baseball glove), http://is.gd/5k3Ur (menorah)

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The Viking’s Official Lanyards $4.00

“Why wouldn’t you want a gift that would let you take the sickest mag on the planet with you everywhere? ESPN and SI ain’t got nothin’ on us.”

-Christine Chang (‘10)

The Book of Basketball

by Bill Simmons $12.00

“Bill simmons is my idol. He is an awesome writer, and I look forward to reading “the sports guy’s” new book.”

-George Brown (‘11)

Stanford university Sweatshirt $59.99

“Considering it has been so frickin’ cold outside, lately, I’ve been needing to clad my body with every layer possible.

A college sweatshirt would do the trick.

Plus, the logo is pretty cool.”

-Gracie Marshall (‘11)

Happy Holidays!

Love,

Muscle Milk $22.37

“It tastes delicious, and I wanna get yoked. It sounds totally bad***” -Michael Cullen (‘11)

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issue 2 KicKoff

features

columns

wraP-uPs

Profiles

last word

THE GREAT DEBATE: Are athletes born or

made?

FEATURING: SAM MALISKA AND SAM GREENE PHOTOS BY SAM MALISKA AND SAM GREENE PHOTOS COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS Born or Made?

Are you describing me or debating? I agree that some work is necessary for athletes to reach the professional ranks, but is there any question that Shaquille O’Neal had an easier time becoming an NBA superstar than a 6 foot nothing like Allen Iverson? And why? Because he was born to be the giant he is today.

Photo by Sam Maliska

Listen close my man, when it comes down to it, you know as well as I do that a striker, quarterback, point-guard, ballerina or what have you, all need to put in the hours to make it to the top. Figure this, you could be born a skinny 6’5” fool with the lanky arms and natural talent to put away three-pointers but that just won’t cut it when you’re trying to rise to your athletic potential.

You know what, it’s all gravy that he was towering everyone from day one, but how can you just say it was easier from the outset to play basketball than to play a true sport simply because of that and nothing else? No doubt Shaq’s size naturally allows him to swat balls, but how about the other aspects to basketball? Shooting, driving, dribbling. When it comes down to the slightest step, everything is consequence to hours and passion.

While I’m sure that hours of blood, sweat and tears do pay off, answer me this: In a 2007-2008 NBA survey the average height of all the players in the league was calculated to be 6’7” tall. Conversely, the average height for adult males in the US is 5’10”, which only six players in the league measure up at or below. Given that our nation’s population is 304,059,724, and there are less than 500 players in the NBA, how can you say that everyone can make it by gaining an extra step?

Gaining an extra step? Everyone’s got potential in one way or another.

Basketball, by the nature of the sport, shapes its athletes to be a number of things, one of them being tall. You can’t train someone to be tall, but you sure as hell can train them to be quick, agile, explosive, relentless... the attributes are endless! Figure it this way, just because you’re tall doesn’t make you an athlete. Just because you’re an athlete doesn’t make you tall!

So it’s not a completely commutative statement, but it does pertain to more sports than just basketball.

As a soccer player yourself, I am surprised that you would argue otherwise. How many times have you competed against someone who was just flat out better than everyone else on the field? Let’s be honest, we can’t all be Usain Bolt, no matter how hard we train. Some just have it, others don’t.

Every time I step out onto the field, I don’t give hoot about how tall, big or fast any of these other football’n goons are. At the highest level of soccer, you need dedication to the weight-room, a die-hard passion, and a vision of perfection in each shot, tackle and step. How many people in the world do you think play soccer? Now, how many of them are athletes?

I would think that the majority of people who play soccer would consider themselves athletes and, technically speaking, everyone of them is. But they are all at different levels of athleticism. Why is that statistic relevant?

Let’s move on to technicalities: What is an athlete? And don’t give me some Merriam-Webster junk.

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Personally, I would define an athlete as someone, who [gasp] takes part in athletic contests such as soccer, baseball, etc. Anyway, the point is that athletes are not made equally; having small hands or bigger feet will make the difference in some cases, and we need to acknowledge the fact that the gene pool is less kind to some of us. Ever heard a football player maxing out their body’s potential for strength?

Are you trying to tell me that just because you have some physical attribute, it makes you naturally more or less of an athlete? And for your football player, I’ve never heard of such a thing, there’s always room to grow, if not physically, then mentally. And that’s why it’s a business. If companies like Coca Cola GM and AT&T didn’t invest in college athletics, then no one would see the games, and the athletes wouldn’t get any exposure.

No, I am simply saying that these attributes will, and do, have a great deal of impact on a person’s interest in pursuing certain sports, as well as their initial ability to succeed at them. They do not directly make a person less of an athlete, but they factor into the skill and desire that a person has to excel in certain sports. I’m tall, pretty skinny, and lost arm-wrestling matches to my mom until eighth grade. Don’t judge me. Given this, do you really think that I am fit to be a power lifter?

Those natural physical attributes basically differentiate athletes through their youth and teens and do allow them, initially, to succeed. But that’s only because no one has truly found a way to advantageously combine their own natural athletic ability with the skills and techniques that they acquire over time. If everyone dwelled on the fact that they didn’t run a four second forty, how would anyone grow to become those very athletes they admire?

But that’s my point. Despite the fact that we shouldn’t, I know for a fact that many athletes discontinue their endeavors in certain areas due to their epic fails, and even though some of them succeed elsewhere after thinking they aren’t cut out for one sport (i.e baseball rejects fleeing to the lacrosse field.) Others continue to fail, despite a good work ethic.

It just seems like you’re defining what it means to be a weak, unmotivated athlete. I’m not talking about those fools. I’m talking about 5’5 Joe Shmoe who gets high off football everytime he steps out onto the field, and uses that high to fuel him to improve and perfect his game, while using his “disadvantages” to his advantage.

Sounds to me like you’re talking about the movie Rudy, man. F.Y.I, it’s the real-life story of a 5’5” guy who worked his @$$ off his entire life just to be a mere BACKUP on the Notre Dame, football team.

And you know what? I bet my man Rudy loved it, worked on it, and became great at it, no?

To an extent, yes. He did become happy and achieved his goal, but that still doesn’t mean he was able to realistically compete at even the collegiate level of sports.

I’m not sure about you, but I wouldn’t mind having LeBron James or Usain Bolt as my papa.

Pshh! I don’t need the blood of an athlete! I need the attitude, and that’s something you aren’t born with.

Photo by Sam Greene

I don’t know about you, but any backup line backer for Notre Dame is an athlete in my book.

And all thanks to what? Hours. Passion. Discipline. If you don’t have those three, you don’t have what it takes to be an athlete. I don’t care who your daddy is.

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issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

features

last word

Crash e s r u o C

BY MARK RAFTREY

20

are a select few sports that most will never compete in because they are, simply T here put, likely to cause pain, but cheerleading and golf? Seriously? Believe it or not, these

activities that are often considered tame or not even sports at all can be unexpectedly dangerous. Bring your first-aid kits and Advil, this could get ugly.

An examination of the frequency of injuries in certain sports reveals that while the common conceptions of violent sports remain accurate, there are definitely some surprises.

For this report, rates of death, catastrophic injury and injury in general determine rankings in descending order of importance.

1 Football

Hurtling down a snowy slope on a pair of greased two by fours is bound to be wrought with dangers. According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), one of every 400,000 skiers and snowboarders dies on the slopes. That works out to an average of 34 deaths per year over the past 13 years. Aside from death, more than 20,000 skiers in the United States suffer from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries each year, according to the Big Bear Valley National Ski Patrol website. Thanks to newer skis that disengage the bindings in a crash, lower-leg breaks are much less frequent. Also, helmets significantly deFOCUS Paly grad Sam Rudy (‘09) picks his way through moguls at high speeds. crease the risk of head injury.

Photo courtesy of Stephan Rudy

2 Skiing

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

What’s more dangerous than 22 of the biggest athletes looking to smash each other? Nothing. In 2008, there were 14 football-related deaths in high school football in the country, a rate of one in every 106,383 players, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research (NCCSIR). This tally is the highest of any major high school sport. However, new equipment, including better helmets, continually makes the game safer. Also, the technique of tackling opponents by “spearing” them with one’s helmet is now illegal, drastically cutting down neck and spinal injuries. Over the past 40 years, the death toll has decreased steadily from a high of 36 in 1968.

OUCH Medical personnel wheel away University of California running back Jahvid Best. Best made a full recovery after sustaining a concussion.

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issue 3 Previews

Profiles

last word

features

3 Cheerleading

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Cheer is no longer all pom-poms and fun chants. Cheerleading accounts for 67 percent of all high-school female catastrophic injuries (death or severe head or neck injury), according to the NCCSIR. Unlike football, cheerleading has become ever more dangerous due to more extreme stunts. This, compounded with a lack of proper coaching and training for such maneuvers, leads to many severe injuries. It is not uncommon for a cheerleader to fall through the awaiting arms of her fellow athletes after sailing high into the air, causing broken bones, internal injuries and death.

GO VIKES Paly cheer leaders wait for the beginning of a football game.

Photo by Malaika Drebin

KicKoff

4 Rugby

Rugby is essentially football, but without pads. Only thin helmets and mouth-guards protect these athletes. According to the British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, rugby players are almost three times as likely to sustain an injury as football players are, but less likely to sustain a fatal injury. During a single season, as many as one in four players will be injured.

5 Bicycling

Wear your helmet! Next time you hop on your bike, think twice about leaving the lid at home. In 2004, 900 bicycle riders in the United States were killed by cars, a rate of about one in every 45,000 bikers according to the National Safety council. Head injuries cause three out of every four deaths related to bicycling, according to the Johns Hopkins Injury Prevention Center . Despite such high rates, riders using biking as a mode of transportation make up much of the total.

Photo by Hana Kajimura

ZOOM Helmet-clad cyclist Charlie Avis (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09) flies down a bike path. Avis is a currently a member of the Trek Livestrong Under-23 age group cycling team.

22

6 Golf

SHH Pierce Marchant (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09) prepares to hit the ball.

Golf, believe it or not, has a significant number of injuries each year. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 60 percent of professional and 40 percent of amateur golfers suffer from injury each season. However, the vast majority of these are merely from overuse or strain. Also, lightning strikes to players are relatively common, with five percent of all lightning strikes occurring on golf courses.

Photo by John Christopherson.

TREATMENT A Tongan rugby player gets medical attention at the 2008 Rugby World Cup.

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issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

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THE BEST SPORTS M

by Cooper Levitan and Will Glazier Photos courtesy of Creative Commons s smoke fills the stadium tunnel and the deafening roar of the crowd overwhelms the sound of the band playing the school’s fight song, one person in particular prepares to lead the team out to the field. This person, preparing to lead the charge out of the tunnel, is the schools mascot and it is their job to represent the “fighting spirit” of their team. Whether it is human or animal, real or imaginary, it is the mascots duty to entertain the crowd and help “fire-up” supporters to propel their its to victory.

A Most Overused

Over 25 colleges nationwide, including Auburn, Memphis, Clemson and Princeton universities use the tiger as a mascot. Additionally, the tiger is the mascot of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals and the MLB’s Detroit Tigers. Local tiger mascots include Terra Nova High School and Terman Middle School.

Buzz the Georgia Tech Hornet

Bevo the Texas Longhorn

Largest

Most Entertaining

Most Intimidating

Biggest Head

Most Underrated

Most Bee-utiful

West Point Academy Black Knight

24

The Ohio State Buckeye

Milwaukee Brewers Sausage Races

Texas Christian University Horned Frog

S MASCOTS

Wally the Green Monster Hometown: Boston, MA Birthplace: The 37 foot high green monster of Fenway Park Fun Fact: On Kid’s Opening Day in 1997, Wally threw out the ceremonial first pitch and was booed by many fans.

Phillie Phanatic Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Origin: Created by Acme Mascots of New York City Fun Fact: Instead of a number on the back of his uniform, he wears a star.

our favorites

1

your favorites

After hearing your opinions, here are ours.

1. Lou Seal

“I would have to say Lou Seal [is the coolest] due to his insane dance moves.”

- Jacob Lauing (‘12)

Sparty Hometown: East Lansing, MI Origin: Sparty was born in 1925 when Michigan State University voted to change their team name to the Spartans.

Fun Fact: Sparty was nominated for the Mascot Hall of Fame in July 2006.

We polled about 100 Paly students to find out who you though was the coolest mascot.

2. Stanford Tree “For college, it’s the tree from Stanford. It is a funny mascot who knows how to keep the crowd hyped.”

-Israel Hakim (‘12)

3. SJ Sharkie “S.J Sharkie [is the best] for sure. He enters the rink from the ceiling ceiling. You can’t really beat that.”

-Ilana Magill (‘11)

4. Tommy Trojan & Traveler “None of that people in furry costumes [expletive]... as much as I hate USC, traveler is pretty sick” -Maya Fielder (‘10)

5. Uga the Bulldog “Uga!! [He is] so, so, so, cute.”

-Maddie Saal (‘10)

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Profiles

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by Brandon Dukovic, Erin Kiekhaefer,

2009 Winter Previews From left to right, photos by Malaika Drebin

Highlight Game: Volleyball vs. Archbishop Mitty

26

The Palo Alto High School varsity wrestling team looks forward to a successful season as it starts the season ranked 15th in the Central Coast Section (CCS) preseason top 20.

With a large incoming freshman class of about 30 new players, according to varsity wrestler Jack Sakai (‘10), the team aims to improve on last year’s season, in which the Vikings finished second in the De Anza League.

“We lost Erez Arnon (‘09), Patrick Sheehan (‘09) [and] Noah Feldstein (‘09). They were all seniors, and they were a big loss, but we gain a lot because a bunch of guys were working hard in the offseason and have gotten a lot better,” Sakai said.

Returning coaches to the team include head coach David Duran and assistant coaches Tony Brewer, Richie Nole and Mark Anderton. Captains Max Simon (‘10), Adrian Castillo (‘10) and Ryan Oshima (‘12) will augment the leadership provided by the coaches.

“Nick Ortiz (‘12), Joey Christopherson (‘12), Ryan Oshima, Kalen Gans (‘12), A.J. Castillo (‘10), Max Simon (‘10) and myself have all been training really hard in the off-season,” Sakai said.

Despite their tough competition, the Vikings have lofty goals for the upcoming year.

“We want to win league; we want to win every duel we have, and we want to send every person we can to states,” Sakai said.

ryan Oshima (‘12)

“He had a huge impact last year, especially at the gunn meet,” Michael Cullen (‘11) said. “And he’s only gotten better with time.”

by Mary Abertole, Cooper Levi-

Key Match-Up: Los Gatos at home 1/21/10

Player to Watch

Jack Sakai (‘10) wrestles his opponent to the floor in a home match last season.

Sakai is a leader on the team this year.

Coach: David Duran Last Year’s Finish: 5th in CCS

Photo by Malaika Drebin

wrestling

Photo by Hana Kajimura

by Will Glazier, Sam Greene, Dustin Nizamian, AlliShorin

Paly girls’ volleyball loses to Mitty in the CCS finals after three games. Paly went on to the NorCal semifinals and ended the season with a record of 36-5 and a win streak of 33, the longest in CCS public school history.

The Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity soccer team ended its last season with a devastating loss in the CCS Finals to the enduring Monta Vista, with a final score of 2-1. The team, however, was ranked 6th in CCS, and it was a surprise to many that they even made it to the championship.

“After last year’s loss in the CCS championship, the team is ready to get back out there and pull out a victory,” Maeve Stewart (‘10) said. “I think we can do this as long as we keep up our hard work and team chemistry.”

This year, the Lady Vikes are preparing for regular season play this year by hosting the Winter Classic Tournament.

So far, Paly’s preseason record is 3-1; the girls defeated Sacred Heart Prep, Santa Clara, and Aragon in the tournament.

The Lady Vikes lost 3-0 in the semifinals of the tournament to Woodside Priory.

They expect to recover and come back strong with the help of key players Kelly

Jenks (‘10) and Erika Hoglund (‘10).

After losing six seniors last year, two of which were star players Jessie Duller (‘09) and Sammie Bengston (‘09), the Lady Vikes find themselves with inexperienced players in the midfield. However, the team now has an even distribution of upperclassmen and underclassmen this season.

The JV team, led by Jordan Smith (‘13) and Brooke Alexander (‘13), have high hopes for their season as well.

Coach: Donald Briggs Last Year’s Finish: 1st in CCS

Key Match-Up: Bellarmine TBA

The Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity soccer team (0-0-3) came into the season with lofty expectations after the Vikings earned Central Coast Section (CCS) coChampion honors last year. This year’s team hopes to repeat the triumphs of its predecessors.

The Vikings, who went 10-0 in the 2008 league season, lost several key members including goalie Peter Johnson (‘09) and midfielders Michael Hanabusa (‘09), Adam Zernik (‘09) and Kevin Ashworth (‘09).

However, the team will also retain several major contributors from last season.

“I think we’ll be ok this season,” center midfielder John Richardson (‘11) said. “We have a lot of good seniors this year and a good core group of upperclassmen.”

Center midfielder Jenner Fox (‘10) will lead the team this year as the driving force behind the team’s offense.

After a strong effort against nonleague opponent St. Francis, in which Paly tied the Lancers 0-0, the Vikings took on the El Camino Division’s Santa Clara High School

on Dec. 5. The Bruins gained the lead early in the game until forward Grant Sauer (‘11) scored midway through the second half, tying the game with a final score of 1-1. In Paly’s third game of the season, the Vikings took on the Saint Ignatius Wildcats and came back from a 1-0 deficet in the second half with a goal from midfielder Ethan Plant (‘11). The Vikings tied the game 1-1.

“I think we can win league and do well [this season],” Plant said. “We want to get back to the CCS finals this year.”

“You haven’t seen intense until you’ve tried to play soccer against her.” Emy Kelty (‘12)

Jenner Fox (‘10)

“He’s a good captain, so he’ll be able to get us through the games,” Richardson (‘11) said.

Photo by Talia Moyal

Erika Hoglund (‘10)

Player to Watch

Ethan Plant (‘10) scored Paly’s only goal in a home game against St. Ignatius.

The Vikings tied the Wildcats 1-1 in the second game of the season.

Key Match-Up: Monta Vista at home 2/02/10

Photo by Talia Moyal

Boys’ Soccer

Photo by Talia Moyal

by Mary Abertole, Cooper Levitan, Sam Maliska, Jack Smale

Captain Kelly Jenks (‘10) dominates the field as a leader in her fourth year on the squad.

Coach: Ernesto Cruz Last Year’s Finish: 2nd in CCS

Player to Watch

Photo by Hana Kajumura

by Brandon Dukovic, Erin Kiekhaefer, Mariah Philips, Alistair Thompson

girls’ Soccer

27

issue 3

girls’ Basketball

by George Brown, Michael Cullen, Talia Moyal & Marco Scola Photo by Talia Moyal

Davante Adams (‘11) shoots a freethrow in the Vikings’ preseason game against Piedmont Hills. The Vikings won the game 49-45.

Coach: Scott Peters Last Year’s Finish: 5th in SCVAL The Palo Alto High School varsity girls’ basketball team is entering a rebuilding period after losing all five starters from last season. The team started off the season strong with an impressive victory against Milpitas High School on Dec. 1. With only three seniors, the team relies primarily on underclassmen and lacks the experience it had last year.

Emiliee Osageidee (‘12), Jordan Plemmons(‘13) and Stephanie Allen (‘13) are rising stars who have contributed significantly to the team’s recent success.

The team has also switched to a style of play to reflect its young talent.

“This year we play a scrappier game, which requires foot speed and court awareness,” Mah said. “Since we are a fairly young team, I think that one of our weaker points is working together as a team, and being able to read each other. However, I think as the season progresses, this weakness can be easily

Coach: TBA Last Year’s Finish: 14-12 Coming off a mediocre first season (14-12, 6-6) as head coach, especially after stepping into the shoes of legendary coach Peter Diepenbrock, who led his team to a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state championship in 2006, basketball coach Andrew Slayton hopes to have a smoother season this year. The team has four returning starters, including standout guard Joseph Lin (‘10).

“I expect to co-lead with a couple other seniors, and I expect to provide an offensive presence to our team,” Lin said.

“Our goals for the team are to win eightplus games in preseason, win league, qualify for CCS [Central Coast Section playoffs] and then we’ll go from there.”

Even though it is still early in the preseason, the Vikings are facing a formidable obstacle in the loss of power forward Steven Kerr (‘10). Kerr broke his hand on Dec. 5 and expects to miss four to six weeks of the season

Key Match-Up: Gunn at home 1/15/10 overcome.”

Despite a disappointing season last year, the Lady Vikes are excited about the prospects of the new year.

“Collectively, the team may not necessarily have the most clean cut skills, however, we make up for that deficit in heart and hustle,” Mah said, “I think we will be a pretty good team because of our determination to play well together and win.”

Stephanie Allen (‘13)

“Stephanie sparks the intensity of our team,” Nehika Miglani (‘10) said, “Come game time, she’s unstoppable.”

Key Match-Up: Gunn at home 1/15/10 The team’s depth has already been tested with this injury, and other senior leaders have stepped up.

“Steven’s injury is a bummer for sure, but things happen and we have to keep working hard no matter what,” Lin said.

“We’ll definitely miss his ‘fighting’ desire on the court, but we can’t let this hold us down.”

“We’re definitely going to be better than the New Jersey Nets,” forward Tory Prati (‘12) said.

Joseph Lin (‘10)

“He’s an all around great player,” Trevor Loveless (‘10) said, “He has a great attitude on and off the floor.”

Player to Watch

28

Boys’ Basketball

last word

Player to Watch

Lauren Mah (‘10) practices her dribbling abilities during the 08-09 season. As one of the three seniors on the varstiy team, Mah is a leader on the team this year.

features

Photo by Sana Bakshi

Profiles

Photo by Sana Bakshi

Previews

Photo by Malaika Drebin

by Alex Kershner Mark Raftrey, Gracie Marshall & Spencer Sims

KicKoff

Continuing the Legacy Kevin Brown (‘10)

BY TALIA MOYAL & BRANDON DUKOVIC PHOTOGRAPHY BY TALIA MOYAL & MADRONO

Joseph Lin (‘10)

O

“Being the younger brothers of two renowned Paly basketball players makes us want to achieve something just as great as they did: State Championships. We want to go to the same place they did, do the same things they did.”

- Joseph Lin (‘10) (’10) and Joseph Lin (’10) stood in the stands among hundreds of fans in support of the team, but more specifically in support of their brothers: starting forward Steven Brown (’06) and starting point guard Jeremy Lin (‘06). Kevin watched his brother race up and down the court and wondered if that would be him someday- if he would ever step on the court to play in a state championship game. Joseph looked to his brother while the final buzzer rang and the final score was 51-47. Excitement washed through his body, as his brother’s team took the Division II CIF State Championship.

Four years later, Kevin and Joseph find themselves approaching a similar situation, the difference, a capable team with a chance to go to states.

Jeremy Lin (‘06)

Photo courtesy of Madrono

Photo courtesy of Madrono

Steven Brown (‘06)

Photo courtesy of Madrono

Photo courtesy of Madrono

n March 17th, 2006, the Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity basketball team amassed a 24-1 record in regular season games, culminating in the state championship. Few people expected them to go that far, even fewer expected them to win. At Arco Arena in Sacramento against the Mater Dei Monarchs, Kevin Brown

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Photos courtesy of Madrono Past Jeremy Lin (‘06) (left) and Steven Brown (‘06) (right) dominated the court at Paly.

Brown and Joseph Lin set out K evin this season planning to continue

30

their brothers’ legacies of domination on the basketball court, hoping to lead their team to victory. Joseph and Kevin, although they resemble their brothers in many ways, bring different strengths to the court, each acting as different players offensively and defensively. But regardless of their different skills, the younger boys still look to Steven and Jeremy for motivation as they push themselves to their utmost potentials.

Kevin and Jeremy are both four years apart from their older siblings Steven and Jeremy. This age gap allows them to exclude the competitive factor that would accompany brothers closer in age, if they played for Paly at the same time. The Brown’s and Lin’s have unique relationships; they share a bond that not many can say they have with their siblings. Even with Jeremy across the country at Harvard, Joseph and Jeremy maintain a strong connection.

“We’re really close,” Jeremy said.

“Me, him and my older brother grew up together and have always done everything together. We keep a really close

relationship.”

The boys realize that they are not like other families. The amount of time they spend together exceeds the amount of time most other siblings spend together.

“Whenever Jeremy is back for a couple of days, during winter break and all summer starting in May, we don’t really do much with other friends,” Joseph said. “We do; but not like we hang out with our friends every day like most high school and college kids do. We spend a majority of the time with each other.”

They are also able to relate to each other. Jeremy does not only act as a big brother, but also as someone who went through everything Joseph is going through now.

“Our relationship is special and really different than a lot of typical other ones,” Jeremy said. “I think part of it is because we’re a lot closer than the average brother-to-brother relationship.

Everything I’ve been through he’s been through, too, and it’s an interesting dynamic with both of us playing basketball. A lot of what he goes through I’m

able to connect with and help him out with.”

Jeremy is Joseph’s best friend; a support that will always be helping him. Jeremy knows him better than anyone and knows his potential better than anyone.

“There’s really no one else I would rather talk to,” Joseph said. “No one who can make me feel better. It’s a relationship I can’t describe.”

During the summer, the boys have the chance to play basketball together.

As Jeremy disciplines himself for his Harvard University basketball season, he trains with Joseph. They go to the gym and play pick-up games; anything that Jeremy thinks will help Joseph gain experience about varsity competition.

“Jeremy will always involve Joseph to go work out with him,” mother Shirley Lin said. “Jeremy takes care of Joseph like a big brother takes care of a little brother. If Joseph wants to pursue basketball, Jeremy will help him be a better player.”

Jeremy and Joseph’s relationship is not just special in the way that they are close. Being Christians, they connect a lot of their discussions to their faith. The brothers try to bring a deeper meaning to their lives.

“What makes our relationship different than most brothers is our spiritual life,” Joseph said. “There’s so much more to everything we talk about because of the fact that we have a spiritual life.

There’s more of a purpose, a certain attitude to show which is humble. When we talk about basketball, we always relate it to our spiritual life. All of our talks are centered on Christian life.”

Joseph’s passion for basketball did not only stem from his brother’s love but also for the game. His own interest initially sparked his desire to play the sport. Even though Jeremy and Joseph can relate through basketball, they differ on and off the court.

“We’re brothers with two very different personalities,” Jeremy said. “I’m naturally more competitive and he’s [Joseph] really laid back. He just enjoys having fun and doesn’t really get bothered by anything.”

Shirley Lin also recognizes the differ-

ences between her sons’ personalities regarding their attitude towards basketball and competition in general.

“To Jeremy, winning or losing is very important,” Shirley said. “His desire to win is stronger than Joseph’s.”

Joseph acknowledges Jeremy’s intensity as an admirable quality.

“Jeremy is one of the hardest workers I’ve seen,” Joseph said. “He’ll wake up at six in the morning to work out and when he was home early we went before school. He does a lot of stuff to try and improve himself, just trying to get better every day. His work ethic is ridiculous.”

Jeremy has a hard working interior that Joseph idolizes. Joseph sees Jeremy’s accomplishments as ones he hopes to achieve someday, too.

utter exhaustion.

“In general, I try to tell him where he can improve,” Jeremy said. “That’s part of being an older brother, pushing him and motivating him. This summer we worked out a lot as I was getting ready for my season. Everything I did I brought him along and tried to push him to work harder than he’s ever worked before.”

Jeremy’s influence on Joseph does not only play out in basketball, but also ventures to teach Joseph lessons that he can bring to his everyday life.

Jeremy learned much of what he wants to pass on to Joseph from Paly’s previous head basketball coach, Peter Diepenbrock. Diepenbrock coached and mentored Jeremy all four years of his basketball career, motivating him to become a more prominent individual on

things and they nod in agreement, like they are saying ‘yes, I’ll do it.’”

Just as Joseph looks up to Jeremy, Jeremy looks up to Joseph. He admires his talents, only criticizing to support. The brothers learn from each other, searching for ways to improve. Jeremy sees tremendous potential in Joseph.

“He has a God-given talent of being able to score, left hand, right hand, inside, outside,” Jeremy said. “Offensively, he’s really dangerous.”

For Jeremy, associating himself with parts of Joseph’s life is just part of his responsibilities as a big brother. Steven Brown also shares this view.

Steven Brown, now at California State University Chico, frequently involves himself in pickup games with his brother Kevin. Steven pushes Kevin to

“He [Diepenbrock] taugHt me about responsibility anD integrity, a lot of wHicH can be applieD outsiDe of tHe basketball court. tHose are tHe tHings i want to instill in josepH.” - jeremy lin (‘06) the court.

“He [Diepenbrock] was a mentor to me,” Jeremy said. “With everything we went through he’ll be a lifelong mentor, and I’ll always give him a call. Diepenbrock really instilled a work ethic in me, and that’s what I’m trying to do with Joseph. He taught me about responsibility and integrity, a lot of which can be applied outside of the basketball court.

Those are the things I want to instill in Joseph.”

Joseph receives all of Jeremy’s advice on life openly. He admires Jeremy’s ability to promote his well being as well as the people around him.

“Being his younger brother, I experience him being a leader towards me all the time because he helps me a lot and mentors me,” Joseph said. “When he says things, you want to listen and follow. On the court, I see him tell his teammates

Photo by Talia Moyal

“For Joseph, Jeremy is his role model and he will follow him,” Shirley Lin said.

“For Joseph, there is no jealousy or pressure because Jeremy is so good, he is actually proud of his brother for being so good.”

But, the pressure of his brothers’ reputation can get to him; as Jeremy Lin’s little brother can be intimidating.

People look to the court and see Joseph, they immediately compare him to his brother.

“I don’t really pay attention to the pressure that much, I’m just trying to do what I can so we can win,” Joseph said. “But, there’s definitely a little bit of pressure that I’ll have to do well because people are expecting a lot from me.”

Because of this pressure, Joseph remains open to any insight or assistance Jeremy can offer. He accepts the option of practicing with him to the extent of

HeiGHt Kevin Brown (‘10) slams down a dunk for an easy two points in a practice.

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Photo by Talia Moyal

KicKoff

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Previews

Profiles

sKiLL Joseph Lin (‘10) takes a jump shot 3-pointer against Piedmont Hills in the championship game of the Lick Tournament. Paly lost the game 45-49.

features

last word

help him improve.

“He would motivate me; playing a pickup game, he would guard me twice as hard as anyone else,” Kevin said. “He really challenged me, and I never asked.

Even today, he plays against me 100 percent, because he wants to prove he’s better and also teach me.”

Unlike the Lin brothers, Steven and Kevin share a competitive drive. Whether on the court or playing video games, they are in constant pursuit of proving the other inferior. This drive allows them to feel a deeper connection than that of most brothers, similarly to the conjunction between Joseph and Jeremy.

Although the two are very close, most of Steven’s biggest role in Kevin’s life revolves around basketball.

“I motivate him in basketball in a trash talking sense,” Steven said. “With school, he takes it seriously. Him seeing me and seeing other brothers and sisters not do so well in school made him realize that he needs to take it seriously.

An older brother is someone to look up to, so I’m not necessarily telling him to do his homework.”

Despite Steven’s lack of influence in Kevin’s academic world, he knows how to push Kevin, teaching him not only about basketball, but also about life. As Steven went to States, he realized the meaning of all the hard work that went into reaching the championship- the goal he had set for himself at the start of the season.

“I remember when the buzzer went off, I was kind of struck and didn’t know what to do,” Steven said. “It makes you realize if you want to do something in life, you can make it happen as long as you believe and put your mind to that certain goal. I don’t think anyone in the state would have imagined that we would win the championship. Some of the best players in the country were on that team: I don’t think anyone knew we would win. Just work hard and you don’t realize until you get your goal that you could achieve it.”

To Steven, this means Kevin can accomplish whatever he sets his mind to.

For Kevin, this being his fourth year on Paly’s varsity team, he feels inspired to

win the championship this year.

“I want to win a state championship too, especially because of my brother,” Kevin said. “I walked past Diepenbrock freshmen year and he said, ‘Now we have to win one with you.’ I was really motivated.”

With Steven as inspiration, Kevin keeps pushing to achieve his goal. With senior year being most important to pursue a future career in basketball, he knows the amount of work he needs to put in.

“Kevin needs to work hard at every game and every possession,” Steven said. “That will make him a much better player at the next level. He definitely has a future playing, but depending on how he does this season, it will dictate where he will end up. This season has a lot to do with how he continues to work hard every day and expand his game. He’s not that big compared to the competition at the next level.”

Even though Kevin and Joseph look up to their brothers for motivation, it helps that they also have each other.

“We’re close, good friends, but he’s busy with football a lot, and I don’t really get to hang out that much,” Joseph said. “Me and Kevin have known each other for a really long time.”

Kevin feels similarly about his friendship with Joseph.

“I’ve known him since second grade, and played on his team from third till now,” Kevin said. “We’re good friends, even though we don’t hang out much.”

Because Jeremy and Steven are also the same age, Joseph and Kevin have been able to share the same emotions regarding what it means to be “the next Jeremy” or “the next Steven.” The two have a lot in common with their older brothers, but not necessarily on the court. Each exhibits different strengths than their older siblings.

“They’re both very different players from their brothers; they both have different strengths than their brothers did,” Diepenbrock said. “Kevin’s more of an inside player; and Joseph is more of a scorer. It’s hard to compare the two to their siblings.”

But, when the four combine strengths,

Photo by Talia Moyal teaMwORK Joseph Lin (‘10) and Kevin Brown (‘10) stand together preparing to rebound during a freethrow against Mills High School in the Burlingame tournament. The Viking won the game 54-34. they overshadow any competition.

“Sometimes we go play a pickup game,” Kevin said. “Sometimes we play on a different team, but when we’re on the same team, we dominate.”

Jeremy and Steven also share a similar contingency with each other. They have been friends since the third grade and have played basketball together on the same team until they separated to take on their collegiate careers.

“I don’t think I’ve had a friend that long,” Steven said. “When he comes back for summer we workout together, we’re close. I think the friendship will always be there.”

The two sets of brothers consider themselves lucky to be in such circum-

stances that allow them to relate so closely with someone else. Their similar conditions have helped Joseph and Kevin immensely, being able to ascribe to each other, as they attempt to continue on a career that has been partially constructed for them by Steven and Jeremy.

“We had to go on our basketball journey alone,” Jeremy said. “We didn’t have brothers to pave the road. Joseph and Kevin are following in our footsteps, and we’re trying to guide and motivate them, as well as give them advice.”

As the season starts, both boys realize this is the season to excel. It is now or never for them to prove that they have what it takes to bring it to the next level. With their brothers’ full support

behind them they have the ability to become magnanimous; their close relationships all them to galvanize each other. As Jeremy induces Joseph through a summer workout or as Steven plays against Kevin in a pickup game, each of the boys have someone they can call an idol. Joseph and Kevin continue to fight to reach the place their brothers were four years ago.

“Being the younger brothers of two renowned Paly basketball players makes us want to achieve something just as great as they did –State Championships,” Joseph said. “That makes us work harder, giving us motivation. We want to go to the same place they did, do the same things they did.” <<<

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Profiles

features

last word

Co-captain MaeveStewart(â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10) inspiresherteammatestoperformtheirbest.

BY ALLIE SHORIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY HANA KAJIMURA & MALAIKA DREBIN

Photo by Hana Kajimura

34

W

hile most girls sit on the sidelines tying their cleats and talking about their day, one girl picks a ball up and begins juggling. A few of her teammates watch her gracefully bounce the ball off her feet and head and soon follow suit. Within a few minutes all the soccer balls are taken.

Maeve Stewart (‘10), co-captain and four year member of Palo Alto High School’s varsity girls’ soccer team, is known amongst the team for more than just her ball skills. Her teammates recognize her for her leadership capabilities and work ethic, which makes her an integral part of this year’s squad.

“She is an amazing player, so she is a leader by example,” teammate Sophie Cain (‘10) said.

Cain feels that Stewart has an innate ability to lead her teammates and that this leadership stems from her talent.

“She’s also a leader vocally because you always hear her,” Cain said. “She is a leader because she pumps us up and inspires us. She is the one that gets up pumped before every game, she is like ‘Come on guys, lets do this!’”

Her teammates also recognize the role Stewart has played when it comes to helping the underclassmen improve their game. This year, of the 26 players on the girls varsity soccer team, ten are underclassmen.

“She’s very good at being encouraging and helpful to the underclassmen,” co-captain Kelly Jenks (‘10) said. “You just see her giving tips and advice on how to play together, and how we play, and strategy on how we work together and move around for each other.”

New to varsity this year, teammate Emy Kelty (‘12) believes that Stewart demonstrates her leadership and is very helpful on and off the field.

“She’s a really good leader,” Kelty said. “She teaches me a lot and tells me what I’m doing wrong, but in a good way, like if I’m not passing well, she’ll give me great tips.”

Kelty also views Stewart as a great role model. “I have a lot of role models on the team and Maeve is definitely one of them, she’s really good,” Kelty said.

According to Kelty, she and the underclassmen look up to Stewart because of her athletic ability and motivational skills.

“I think that the underclassmen do look up to her,” Kelty said. “It’s kind of weird, but whenever I refer to some of the players, like Kelly [Jenks], Erica [Hoglund] (’10), and Maeve, I always call

them the superstars, because they’re all blonde and amazing, ‘super starish’. And they’re all just so motivational; I really

“I think she[Stewart] has the biggest heart in the whole campus. She‘s very dedicated, and she always gives you100percent all the time. ” -CoachErnestoCruz

look up to that. And they [play] at such a high level that I want to match that, and I feel like a lot of people feel like that too, you want to improve because you want to play with them, make sure you can give them good passes and stuff.”

According to Jenks, Stewart also has a talent for getting her teammates loose

Photo by Malaika Drebin

PRaCtiCe Stewart works on her touch and skills by juggling.

and “fired-up” before every game.

Stewart views her “inspiration” as being helpful to her teammates and she gives her teammates feedback to encourage them and help the team get better.

“When I am playing, I like when someone tells me when I do something well, or if I am not doing something well,” Stewart said. “So, if I see someone doing something that has helped the team or has been really good in the game, I definitely will say something like ‘good job, keep up the good work,’ and stuff like that.”

Moreover, Stewart believes that her teammates play better when they know they have the support of the other players.

“A lot of players play a lot better when [their teammates support them], especially when a coach is getting on them for doing something bad,” Stewart said.

“I just want to be there for my teammates and help them out.”

Ernesto Cruz, Paly’s girls’ varsity soccer head coach, feels that Stewart’s ambition has helped the team.

“I think she has the biggest heart in the whole campus,” Cruz said. “She’s very dedicated, and she always gives you 100 percent all the time.

Stewart’s determination and drive does not go unnoticed by her teammates.

“She just never stops working,” Jenks said. “She just understands that to get farther you need to push yourself, which can be hard.”

Jenks has also come to understand, after four years of playing on Paly soccer together, that Stewart has learned the rewards and benefits of hard work. “[She knows] that you’re going to get as much out of it as you put into it, so she’ll go the extra mile,” Jenks said. “Instead of just doing what’s required, she always pushes herself harder than other people.”

Kelty also feels that Stewart never gives up and always puts her best effort every time she steps on the field.

“She’s always working hard, and she’s so quick. She is really inspirational, I just want to play like her. And she never

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gives up, and even if the ball is really far away from her she’ll still sprint to it,” Kelty said.

Cruz has coached Stewart for the last four years and has also noticed that Stewart has an exceptional work ethic. “[Another] good thing about her is she is very coachable, whatever you tell her, she follows,” Cruz said. “You tell her ‘this is what I want’ and she does the job.”

Playing on varsity for the last four years, Stewart has had the opportunity to play with experienced and exceptional teammates. Stewart believes she has become a better player and learned how to become a role model for her teammates from playing alongside them. “[I remember] playing with Teresa [Noyola] (’08). She’s such a smart player, and she was super encouraging,” Stewart said.

Noyola won the Gatorade National Soccer Player of the Year award while at Paly and now plays division one soccer at Stanford University. Stewart admired Noyola’s capability to inspire and be a leader to her teammates.

“Everything she said, everyone listened to,” Stewart said. “And I think that kind of just helps, when you look up to someone, like a role model, and you aspire to work as hard as them, and to play like them. When you are playing on the field with them and you know you can count on them, and you want to be able to have them count on you [too], it drives you to be a better player.”

Stewart has also learned that having a good work ethic is key to her success.

“I would say [that I have learned to be] a pretty hard worker,” Stewart said.

“I don’t like going to a practice and not getting anything out of it, so I try my hardest at practice.

Furthermore, Stewart has discovered that after a certain point, when one’s skills have peaked, the most important thing to improve is one’s mental aspect of the game.

“Skill-wise there is not much you can do once you reach a certain point, but from just playing with the different players and from playing with people like Teresa [Noyola] and Kelly [Jenks],

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I’ve just learned a lot about the game,” Stewart said. “I feel like I’ve learned how to be ‘game smart’, make the smart passes, and I think that I’ve developed into a smarter player.”

Jenks thinks that Stewart was chosen as captain not only because of her talent and role on the playing field, but also because of her personality.

“It’s helped that she has been on var-

defender, midfielder and forward. Currently, Stewart is the part of the starting team, playing forward and outside midfielder.

Cruz has only one goal for Maeve and this year’s team; to win Central Coast Section (CCS).

“My goals for this group and Maeve is to try to go as far as we can in CCS. Its been 25 years since we last won, so we

Photo by Hana Kajimura

sPeeD Stewart helped lead the Lady Vikes to a 2-1 win over Sacred Heart Prepatory. sity for all four years, but she also just has a good vibe that she brings to the field.” Jenks said. “She’s always in a good mood, she works hard, she is encouraging for other people, and she’s not intimidating.”

According to Cruz, Stewart was placed on varsity because she had a lot to offer to the team athletically and because of her character. “I put her on varsity because of her skills and her personality,” Cruz said. “[When I meet her] as a freshman, she had speed, and foot work.

She’s the type of player everybody likes, very cheerful, she was a full package.

Stewart is also a very versatile and well-rounded player Jenks noted, and has played various positions including

want to make history.”

Stewart also shares this goal.

“During freshman year, Ernesto told us that during our four years we would win CCS, so that is definitely the goal this year.,” Stewart said.

Another goal for this season is keeping the team happy, noted Stewart.

“I want to help the team any way possible,” Stewart said. “I want to keep my teammates happy and help them to have a lot of fun this season. I want to keep the mood light during games and lead by example on the field.” <<<

Reporter’s Note: Next year, Stewart will attend Tufts University and play on the soccer team as a Lady Jumbo.

JUDO nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

want to mess

by Mary Albertolle Photography by Malaika Drebin

Ryan Oshima (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;12) balances his wrestling and judo careers, winning locally and nationally for both.

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n most sports, a competitor loses consciousness, usually causing uproar. But in the sport judo, Ryan Oshima (‘12) regularly hooks his arm under his opponent’s to knock him out.

Oshima, only a sophomore, excels in both wrestling and judo by blending moves from each of his sports into a unique style. Oshima joined the Palo Alto High School varsity wrestling team as a freshman after beating two upperclassmen for the spot. He now leads the team as a captain.

Judo, a Japanese martial art, has passed from generation to generation, starting with Oshima’s paternal grandfather.

“I was introduced to judo when I was 10 by my Dad, around six and a half years ago,” Oshima said.

“I think he introduced me because he wanted me to get involved in the sport that a lot of my family has become a part of. It’s really a family tradition.”

His father, Ryan Sr., also practiced judo in high school and college. He now passes the legacy on to his sons.

“I always tell my sons that judo takes a lifetime to learn, and that they should look forward to practicing, learning, and teaching judo, wherever and whenever they are in life,” Mr. Oshima said.

Mr. Oshima coaches his sons in competitive judo and has attended all of his judo and wrestling tournaments except for two.

“If [my dad] wasn’t my coach I wouldn’t get the in-depth analysis that he gives me,” Oshima said. “He helps me learn

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where to improve on.”

Oshima and his father critique recorded videos of every match. The critiques help Oshima understand where he needs to improve and what moves are successful. “[Watching Videos] is a very painful process, and is always a source of tension, but is one of the best tools to improve performance,” Mr. Oshima said. “Ryan is doing his own analysis now, and is even more critical of himself than I ever was.”

Oshima’s dad does not only help his son’s judo career, but also encourages his wrestling endeavors. Despite Mr. Oshima’s lack of wrestling knowledge prior to Oshima’s interest in the sport, he fully supports his son and his accomplishments.

“I have a very selfish reason for attending my sons’ competition, I love to watch them [My sons] compete,” Mr. Oshima s a i d . “ They compete [for] very few years of their lives, and if I don’t watch them now, the chance is lost forever.”

Oshima not only enjoys judo, but he has also had a very successful career since his start at age 10. In fifth grade, he began competing at tournaments. This past summer, Oshima received first place in two national tournaments and placed second in another. “[The San Diego tournament] was small, only six guys in the bracket,” Oshima said. “[In] the other nationals, I got first, there were about 10 [competitors]. Judo brackets are usually smaller

than most other sports because not as many people do the sport, but the level of competition is the same as other sport’s national competitions.”

As far as weighing in and other routines go, Oshima, a competition veteran, knows what to expect when he travels across the country.

“The whole process was pretty routine,” Oshima said. “I’ve been going to nationals for a few years so it wasn’t anything new. The awards for nationals are really grand: big medals and a lot of people. It feels great to be on the podium.”

Mr. Oshima shares the feeling of accomplishment with Oshima after his breakthrough performances.

“Although these were great accomplishments, I was more pleased with the way he won, using a wide variety of throws,

grade at Jordan Middle School. Since then, Oshima has incorporated many judo moves and throws into his repertoire of wrestling techniques.

“Judo has been a big part of my wrestling,” Oshima said. “I integrate it a lot.

It helps me win a lot of matches, trying to come up with a good offense. [I plan to] keep on doing what I’m doing and integrate judo into my strategy with more things that people don’t expect, like a lot more throws and different combinations of throws.”

Not many opponents expect Oshima’s judo moves; he catches them off guard.

“He’s very good with balance and stance, and he’s very good at throwing people,” wrestling head coach David Duran said. “He’s very dangerous and the better wrestlers that have wrestled him know that already and it kind of takes

classmen in such duals, but he also beat then Paly junior Chris Hood (‘10) and Sean Keohane (‘09) for his spot on varsity.

“Ryan moved up to varsity and nobody doubted the fact that he deserved it because of his judo background,” Keohane said. “He had a ton of previous experience with grappling, so when he got out on the mat you could tell he was a lot more composed than most wrestlers that had just as much experience as he did. Not to mention his throws were second to none.”

Injuries, weight fluctuations, and many other obstacles prevent a wrestler from remaining on varsity. Oshima’s opportunity came when Keohane tore his rib cartilage at the Reno Classic last year, which opened a spot on varsity.

“I was coming off a rib injury, so in order to win back my spot I had to go through

“He really knows what he’s doing and how to lead and show the underclassmen how they should act and what they need to do to be a good wrestler. He has shown me some of his judo moves and also how he has been a good wrestler and a good role model to the team.”

-Joey Christopherson (‘12) combinations and strategies,” Mr. Oshima said. “He is really maturing as a competitor.”

When Oshima returned home from tournaments, his coaches, family and friends congratulated him for his first place national finish. Although he had won first at a national tournament, Oshima did not notice much change in the way people treated him at practice. The win makes him the first person at his Stanford club to win a national tournament. Practicing at Stanford, with older and heavier competitors, has helped bring his judo to the national level.

“At my old club [Palo Alto Judo Club], I wasn’t gaining the same type of practice because I was going against a lot younger kids,” Oshima said. “Now, at Stanford, everyone’s usually about 10 to 20 pounds heavier than me, but that helps me deal with stronger people. I think that’s what makes a good team: when everyone’s at the same level as each other and everyone really wants to learn and become better.”

Oshima’s successful judo career inspired him to begin wrestling in the sixth

away some of their offense because they don’t want to get caught in a position to get thrown because he’ll throw you, and he’s good at it.”

As a freshman, Oshima beat older wrestlers with judo throws and other techniques. His coaches, seeing this strategy, had Oshima help his teammates master these moves as well.

On Gunn High School’s senior night last year, Oshima was set to wrestle a senior ranked in the top 10 Central Coast Section (CCS). Behind five points in the second period, Oshima saw the opportunity to pin his opponent by throwing him onto his back.

“He was wrestling a senior and he was losing the whole match until he got him into one of his throws and caught him on his back and pinned him,” wrestling teammate Joey Christopherson (‘12) said.

The win helped boost the team’s morale for them to win the entire dual and beat rival Gunn.

“That was one of the big matches that helped turn that dual meet around, which we ended up winning,” Duran said.

Oshima not only beat many upper-

Ryan, which is by no means an easy competitor,” Keohane said. “Unfortunately, I lost the challenge match and I was torn, I’m not one to take losing easily and the loss pushed me to work harder, but unfortunately, time was not on my side.”

Oshima’s teammates and coaches see that judo assists his wrestling career. Judo also gives him the tools he needs to be successful, such as remaining calm and collected on the mat.

“There are many concepts in common and many of the instructions I hear from the wrestling coaches are exactly the same instructions I shout out in judo,” Mr. Oshima said. “I believe that as Ryan’s wrestling skills develop, his judo knowledge will be a great advantage.”

Oshima believes that judo helps his wrestling more than his wrestling helps his judo due to the differences between the sports.

“I don’t know what his first love is, judo or wrestling, but whatever it is, he’s good at both of them,” Duran said.

Although the two sports share similarities, they have many differences like scoring. In wrestling, the winner has to pin

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TEAM â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have different teammates that help you push different things and it really makes you a lot better than being by yourself.,â&#x20AC;? Oshima said.

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said.

the opponent with his shoulder blades touching the mat for two seconds; if both wrestlers fail to pin the other, then the match is determined by a system of points. Points vary when a player takes his opponent down, escapes from a hold, reverses from underneath to gain control or nearly pins the other.

“You can either pin them for 25 seconds, get a choke until they pass out, arm bar until they pass out or you can throw them on their back with enough force,” Oshima said.

Along with two different scoring regulations comes two different techniques and approaches to judo and wrestling.

“Judo is more focused on throws, but there’s also chokes and arm-bars, whereas wrestling focuses on take downs,” Oshima said.

Both sports require a strong base in addition to a muscular build and athletic endurance, so the sports have similar training.

“The two sports are really similar in that they are both contact sports where repetition in training and being [in top] physical shape is necessary to win,” Oshima said.

In the end, Oshima treats both judo and wrestling very similarly taking both sports to the top.

“He’s a really dedicated wrestler,” Christopherson said. “He does a lot of judo and after our practices he goes to Stanford to do judo practice. He also does a lot of clinics for extra wrestling and does a lot of weight training.”

Oshima’s continuous participation on the mat and in the weight room makes him one of the most devoted players on the team. Duran made Oshima team captain due to his belief that dedication goes hand in hand with leadership.

“He has very strong leadership skills and a very strong work ethic,” Duran said.

“He is a very good student. He is very quiet as far as his vocals compared to other captains that we’ve had, but he does lead by example. He’s the kind of kid that every coach would want to coach.”

As team captain, Oshima leads by example, always pushing himself during practice and tournaments. Oshima is encouraged by his coaches to teach and explain his judo moves to all wrestlers, re-

gardless of age. He also motivates his fellow wrestlers during practice.

“He really knows what he’s doing and how to lead and show the underclassmen how they should act and what they need to do to be a good wrestler,” Christopherson said. “He has helped me by showing me what I need to do in order to be the best I can. He has shown me some of his judo moves and also how he has been a good wrestler and a good role model to the team.”

Oshima helps to create a healthy team atmosphere in the Paly weight room. “[Oshima] is a very quiet kid for the most part, but it’s all one big family in there, a little different than the other sports because everybody goes through the same thing, even the kid who is brand new to the better kids,” Duran said. “Everyone goes through the same thing, but I think he’s finding out who he is a little more as a person, so the interaction between the kids is much better.”

Another reason Judo and wrestling are similar is that they are both individualistic sports that require less team chemistry and more individual motivation.

“It is similar in that they’re both individual sports because it is one versus one, but wrestling for Paly is really working for a team and you have that team bond and team chemistry,” Oshima said. “I think [working as a team] is better because you have different teammates that can help you push different things and it really makes you a lot better than being by yourself.”

Oshima dreams of placing in the state tournament by his senior year, and he hopes to once again qualify for CCS. “I think he has put in the most work out of all of us and he has the most potential and he could easily go to the state meet either next year or senior year,” Christopherson said.

Duran noted that many of Paly’s finest wrestlers have advanced to states. He believes that Oshima is capable of placing in CCS, and in states, in his next three years at Paly. Oshima feels undecided about whether to pursue wrestling or judo in college; he is reluctant to devote his entire life to either sport. But until then, Oshima will focus on this season of wrestling at Paly. <<<

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r Drew Pearson (‘10)

Nehika Miglani (‘10)

DJ Fotsch (‘11)

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Photos top to bottom by Hanna Brody, Malaika Drebin & Malaika Drebin

religion

Beyond

the north

end zone of Notre Dame Stadium,

high above the scoreboard and all of the

in spor s

action that takes place on the field below, stands the south wall of the Hesburgh library.

Adorned upon that wall is the “World of Life” mural, known by countless college football fans as “Touchdown Jesus.”

BY ALISTAIR THOMPSON (continued next page)

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part of pregame warmups. Although religion may not be as prevalent on high school fields as on the overgrown grass at Notre Dame stadium, the fact remains that religion plays some kind of role on many athletic teams, regardless of the school.

Some athletes choose to ignore religion, and some choose to accept it.

Some believe that a commitment to religion can hold an athlete back and create conflict. Others believe religion can provide motivation and guidance in pursuit of goals.

Paly varsity lacrosse player Sam Herzog (‘10) chooses to play an active role in her Jewish community. Although she follows the guidelines of reform Juda-

“The [religious] values I was brought up with govern how I act in everyday life, including lacrosse for me,” Herzog said. “Because religion plays a big role in the way people think, it inevitably changes the way people play.”

Herzog also believes that religious influences in sports can raise conflicts.

“People aren’t really aware of the commitment conservative and orthodox Jews have to their religion,” Herzog said.

“They cannot really commit to sports because they have to miss Friday night and Saturday practices for Shabbat.”

Even on the professional level, players must choose between commitment to faith and commitment to their sport, team and fans.

circle and recited a prayer before taking on the Archbishop Mitty Monarchs in Paly’s second game of the season. No fan would be surprised if they saw the Monarchs praying before the game, seeing as Mitty is a Catholic school and part of the West Catholic Athletic League.

However, it may have appeared more unusual for Paly, a public school with no religious affiliation, to hold a pregame prayer.

Onlookers may have wondered what kind of role religion plays in a high school football game. It was not clear why this public school team chose to look to God for guidance. Nonetheless, the entire team knelt together, asking for safety and the ability to play to its fullest potential. This team, composed of diverse religious views, prayed together under a common set of ideals.

On Sept. 18, different players held the prayer in different regards. Maybe some players took the words to heart. Maybe some saw the prayer as just another

ism, which essentially allows her to decide how big of a role she wants religion to play in her life, Herzog holds her involvement with her religious community as a high priority. Despite her sports schedule, Herzog makes countless sacrifices in order to uphold her religious commitment. In regard to her athletic career, Herzog finds that certain concepts tie religion and sports together, for instance, the idea of a strong community.

“The most important thing that applies for me is ‘kehillah kedosha,’ which literally means ‘sacred community,’” Herzog said. “It’s the idea of creating a holy community, which means, to me, a safe, close-knit and supportive community, and this definitely applies to how I feel about the lacrosse team.”

Throughout her athletic career, as well as in her day to day life, Herzog finds that religion affects the way people carry themselves both on and off the field.

Sandy Koufax, a hall of fame pitcher for the Brooklyn, and later, Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955-1966, refused to pitch in game one of the 1965 World Series because the game fell on Yom Kippur. Instead of pitching, Koufax went to a nearby synagogue in accordance to the customs of Yom Kippur. Dodger great Don Drysdale took the mound in Koufax’s place. Newspapers covering the game reported that when manager Walter Alston took Drysdale out of the game after a decidedly lackluster twoinning performance, Drysdale sarcastically suggested to Alston, “I bet right now you wish I was Jewish, too.” The Dodgers lost 8-2 and Koufax’s decision fell subject to a great deal of skepticism from the media and fans.

Like Herzog, Paly swimmer DJ Fotsch (‘11) grew up with sports and religion as two overlapping elements. Fotsch was raised in a Catholic family and attended a Catholic school until eighth grade. All his life, religion has been a

Photo by Sana Bakshi

he mural epitomizes the connection between athletics and religion. “Touchdown Jesus” reminds athletes, students and regular fans alike that whether for positive or negative, motivation or restriction, religion appears to be ever present in the athletic world.

The foundations of athletic excellence can be drawn from a variety of sources.

Although controversial, religion is consistently cited by athletes as source of motivation and guidance that teaches discipline and the other tools necessary for success as an athlete.

On Friday, Sept. 18, 2,254 miles away from Notre Dame, the Palo Alto High School football team knelt in a

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“Because religion plays a big role in the way people think, it inevitably changes the way people play.”

– Sam Herzog (‘10)

After starter Trent Green suffered a torn ACL in a preseason game in 1999, Warner promptly stepped in and lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory over the Tennessee Titans. During that season, Warner became the sixth player ever to win MVP awards for both the regular season and the Super Bowl.

But, after receiving another MVP award in 2001, Warner began to struggle. After a lackluster 2002 season, Warner began the 2003 season by fumbling six times in the Ram’s season opener.

Warner warmed the bench and drifted into obscurity after the Rams’ dealt him to the Giants the following year. Warner was later traded to the Cardinals where, after competing for the starting position for four years, he lead Arizona to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2008 season. Despite Arizona’s loss, Warner found a way to overcome the challenges placed before him. Today, Warner presents himself as living proof of what commitment and faith can bring to an individual and those around him.

In postgame interviews, Warner always thanks God and Jesus for guidance.

While many people find this humble gesture refreshing, others see his allusion to religion as unnecessary.

Paly varsity tennis player and Mormon Drew Pearson (‘10) views the idea that God guides athletes as unrealistic.

While Pearson sees religion in sports in a positive light, he believes that, in general, the sports world would disagree with him.

“When people hear a pro say they were guided by God or something they just get turned off from it and find it ridiculous,” Pearson said.

Pearson believes that God may “watch over” athletes, but beyond that, the individuals determine the end result.

Paly basketball player Nathan Bills (‘12) believes that, when compared to an athlete’s skill level and work ethic, religion plays a negligible role in an athlete’s success.

Bills does not look to religion for motivation or guidance while playing and he chooses not to worship any God. Instead, Bills relies on his own skill and confidence to compete to the best of his ability.

FAITH “I feel that God gave me the talent of being a good swimmer and I am doing my best to thank him by trying hard to improve,” Fotsch (below) said.

Photo by Talia Moyal

constant presence in his life. While he feels that religion guides him in everyday life, Fotsch feels an especially strong connection in swimming.

“I feel that God gave me the talent of being a good swimmer, and I am doing my best to thank him by trying hard to improve,” Fotsch said.

Fotsch plans to maintain this connection between swimming and religion as he continues to pursue his goals. He hopes to swim competitively at the University of Notre Dame.

Beyond his own experience, Fotsch feels religion is generally seen as a positive influence in the sports world.

“I feel people view [religion] as a positive thing because it usually makes players behave better,” Fotsch said. “[Religion] keeps them from getting into too much trouble.”

Few athletes are better at staying out of trouble than Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner. USA Today recently recognized Warner, who is a devout Christian, with the Most Caring Athlete award for 2009. In a recent Sports Illustrated poll of 296 NFL players, Warner was voted the best role model in the NFL. Warner and his wife Brenda run a Christian foundation called First Things First. Through this program, Warner raises money for charities and hospitals all over America while emphasizing the importance of placing faith, whether it is in religion, family or ability, above all else.

Throughout his football career, Warner endured countless highs and lows, but he attributes his ultimate success to his faith in God. Many athletes suffer through failures, but great athletes turn failures into motivation. Throughout his career, Warner has been able to channel his failures and frustration through his persistent faith in God. After multiple NFL teams turned Warner down, he took a job as a bag boy at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa near his hometown of Burlington.

While working for minimum wage at the grocery store, Warner continued his football career while playing in the AFL for the Iowa Barnstormers and eventually in NFL Europe with the Amsterdam Admirals. After short stints in both leagues, the St. Louis Rams signed Warner in 1998.

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Photo by Talia Moyal

“I don’t think religion makes a difference in the way athletes play their sports. The success of an athlete depends on their work ethic and skills, not their religious beliefs.”

-Nathan Bills (‘12)

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Nehika Miglani (‘10), who is Hindu, feels that faith is vital in maintaining a competitive mindset.

“Religion affects a person’s mentality,” Miglani said. “If athletes can find their inner strength and get past their mental block of how tired they think they are, they can push through and go harder.”

Miglani also feels that in order for an athlete to contribute to her team, she has to maintain a positive attitude, regardless of the situation.

“The gods I pray to teach that one must always keep positive energy in bad situations,” Miglani said. “When my team is losing a game or just playing horribly, I make it a point to make sure the team does not get an attitude or give up.”

Focus and strong mentality play vital roles in the success of athletes in multiple sports of all levels.

Paly cross-country and track standout Philip MacQuitty (‘10) agrees that mental toughness is the most important strength for a long distance runner. “[In training], you are essentially giving yourself the opportunity to take more pain for a longer period of time,” MacQuitty said. “That is all mental toughness. For the second half of the race, it is in your head whether you do well or not.”

While coordination and raw athleticism are not as essential to running long distance as they are to playing other sports, rarely do athletes face a greater mental challenge than running a marathon.

Due to cross-country’s demand for mental toughness and endurance, it may not be a coincidence that many of

the sport’s top competitors are devoutly religious. A runner’s faith may give them more strength when their endurance is at its end.

In recent history, African runners, many of whom are devout Christians, have been dominant. Since 1988, only two non-Africans have won the Boston Marathon. Scientists cite the high altitude of the Rift Valley and genetics as the main contributors to the African’s dominance, but faith in religion is rarely brought up as a reason for the runners’ success.

Twenty-seven year old American runner Ryan Hall, a devout Christian, is one of the few non-Africans considered

Photo courtesy of flickr account JMRosenfeld

“I don’t think religion makes a difference in the way athletes play their sports,” Bills said. “The success of an athlete depends on their work ethic and skills, not their religious beliefs.”

While Bills recognizes that many athletes demonstrate their faith while playing, like when athletes point to the sky after making a big play, he feels that faith neither assists nor restricts an athlete in their pursuits of their goals.

Despite his skepticism about the extent of God’s involvement with individual athletes, Pearson feels the effects of religion in his everyday life, as well as in his athletic pursuits. However, unlike Fotsch, Pearson does not have religion pushing him to play at the next level.

His Mormon commitment does not allow him to play on the Sabbath, which for Mormons is Sunday. Unfortunately for Pearson, the bulk of tennis tournaments are on Sundays, which leaves him no choice but to sit out.

“I have not participated in any tournaments, so I have not been able to get a good ranking,” Pearson said. “Getting recruited to college is basically impossible.”

While Pearson faces this obstacle, he does not think it affects the way he plays the game. In fact, he believes his faith works to his advantage by giving him a broader perspective.

“While I am playing, my faith helps the way I feel,” Pearson said. “I try to remember that this one match or game is not that important when compared to the big picture.”

This mindset allows Pearson to relax and play to his fullest potential without worrying as much about the end result.

Like Pearson, Paly basketball player

wATCHINg OVEr Touchdown Jesus above the nort

when the topic of the best runners in the world arises. At the London Marathon on Apr. 13, 2008, Hall ran in his third marathon and finished fifth with a time of two hours, six minutes, 17 seconds, the second fastest time ever by an American. In April of this year, Hall came in third at the Boston Marathon, posting a time of two hours, nine minutes, 40 seconds. Hall finished behind Kenyan Daniel Rono and Ethiopian Deriba Merga.

Although he did not grow up in the Rift Valley climate like many of the African runners, Hall does share a common faith. In interviews, he frequently attributes his success and mentality to his faith in God. Hall believes that God intended for people to work hard and that running is a way for him to fulfill God’s will.

Hall may draw his beliefs from biblical passages, such as Paul’s letter to the Corinthians 9:24-25, which reads: “Do you not know that runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win.

Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.”

The struggle of a long distance run-

the north scoreboard at Notre Dame Stadium.

ner may even be comparable to Jesus’ forced march with the cross on his back.

Jesus’ suffering may give a Christian runner the faith and determination that allows him or her to battle through pain and put forth their greatest effort.

For individual athletes, religious commitment is often of their own volition, but when religion is forced upon a group, athletes can be restricted. Not all athletes have the freedom to choose whether or not they want religion to be involved in their athletic careers. Such was the case in Afghanistan.

Under the rule of the Taliban, women were denied the right to appear in public unless wearing full-body clothing.

They could not be subject to any kind of education, much less participate in any kind of sport. With women out of the education system, the Taliban used male teachers to spread radical ideas emphasizing the restriction of basic freedoms, particularly for women. The Taliban ran madrasas (schools) that taught radical views derived, frequently incorrectly, from their religious guidelines.

The Taliban derived its laws from Sharia, the Islamic religious law. The Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia became progressively more radical as their pow-

er grew. By the time the Taliban gained power in Afghanistan in 1996, womens’ participation in sports was unacceptable and severely punished.

At this time, women in Afghanistan had no choice but to sacrifice all athletic pursuits and abide to the Taliban’s restrictions. The issue was far beyond the idea of religion providing guidance or motivation in sports. Instead of being a positive influence in athletics, the government’s interpretation of religion denied women the right to compete. Ever since the US and coalition forces overthrew the Taliban in 2001, womens’ sports have come back into prominence.

Without the restrictions of a radical religious government, female athletes now have the right to compete.

In the 2004 Olympics in Athens, then 17-year-old Afghan sprinter Robina Muqimyar took advantage of her newfound rights. Muqimyar became one of the first two women ever to represent Afghanistan in the Olympic games.

Wearing a t-shirt, long pants and a headscarf, Muqimyar clocked a time of 14.14 seconds in the 100 meters. Although she finished three seconds behind Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell, the significance of Muqimyar’s achievement for Afghanistan is immeasurable. Since Afghanistan is almost completely devoid of training facilities, it was difficult for Muqimyar to prepare. Prior to the games, Muqimyar trained in stadiums formerly used by the Taliban as execution sites. Muqimyar’s achievement opened up the door for female Afghan athletes, who now, free from the rule of their past radical religious government, have the freedom to compete.

Many great athletes believe they succeed in today’s athletic world because they have faith in something greater than themselves. However, in other circumstances, such as those faced by Robina Muqimyar, there is no greater restriction than the influence of faith. But, even while Nathan Bills watches a favorite athlete point to the sky, thanking God for the ability to make a play, the presence of religion is seemingly ubiquitous.

So, whether the player who glides into the north end zone at Notre Dame stadium points to the sky or not, “Touchdown Jesus”, with outstretched arms, will always be there to take it in.<<<

47

How AtHletic For this issue, the staff of The Viking underwent an extensive search for the most athletic school in the Central Coast Section. We developed a rigorous evaluation process to locate and honor the high school with the greatest athleticism. Our criteria to find the most athletic high school was based on the percentage of the student body involved in a sport (varsity, JV and freshman teams included), team success (number of CCS championships last year), skill (notable Division I athlete alums) and importance to the school (how the school communicates about its athletics programs).

Equation Overall Score

(based on 2008-2009 stats):

# of athletes # of students

(5

# ‘08-’09 CCS championships

(

# of teams

It’s not all about sports, of course. These are schools after all. Our calculations will also rank schools with particularly high achieving student athletes and strong academic programs. In addition, there will be two brief descriptions about nationally known athletic high schools.

How does Paly stand up?

48

is

PAly?

BY ALEX KERSHNER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MALAIKA DREBIN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MALAIKA DREBIN & HANA KAJIMURA DESIGN BY EMILY FOWLER &VARUN KOHLI

s

“I can give you the three ingredients [of a successful athletic program, such as Paly, number one, the school has the best kids. Number two, all I do is try to find the best coaches, not necessarily the most popular coaches, but ones that will guide the students. What I like about Palo Alto is if you get a bad coach, the kids will know it. They know the difference, They can deal with someone they maybe don’t like as long as they [the coach] know what they are doing and are fair about it. And [thirdly], we get great support from parents.

-Athletic Director Earl Hansen 49

1

St. Francis- Private

175 pts

total students: 1600 Percent Athletes: 84% ccs championships: 5 Number of teams: 66

Notable D1 athletes Lindsay Dickerson (‘09) (left): Stanford Soccer eric Byrnes (‘94) (right): UCLA Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks

2

Archbishop Mitty- Private total students: 1699 Percent Athletes: 69% ccs championships: 5 Number of teams: 44

Notable D1 athletes aaron Bates (‘02) (left): North Carolina State Baseball Boston Red Sox

Keilani Ricketts (‘09) (right): University of Oklahoma Softball

Images taken from

50

138 pts

3

Gunn- Public

105 pts

total students: 1900 Percent Athletes: 55% ccs championships: 0 Number of teams: 50

4

Menlo Atherton- Public

105 pts

total students: 1950 Percent Athletes: 52% ccs championships: 1 Number of teams: 52

5

Castilleja- Private

98 pts

total students: 240 Percent Athletes: 61% ccs championships: 4 Number of teams: 17

6

Woodside Priory- Private

91 pts

total students: 273 Percent Athletes: 73% ccs championships: 0 Number of teams: 18

51

7

Paly- Public

91 pts

total students: 1755 Percent Athletes: 44% ccs championships: 1 Number of teams: 42

Notable D1 athletes Nathan ford (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;05) (left): Cornell Football teresa Noyola (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08) (right): Stanford Soccer

8

Monta Vista- Public

87 pts

total students: 2450 Percent Athletes: 37% ccs championships: 2 Number of teams: 40

9

Saratoga- Public total students: 1340 Percent Athletes: 31% ccs championships: 2 Number of teams: 44

52

85 pts

10

78 pts

Los Altos- Public total students: 1700 Percent Athletes: 42% ccs championships: 0 Number of teams: 36

Reporter’s Note: Statitistics for all schools except for Paly were drawn from last year’s state records. The Viking calculated stats for Paly. While other school’s percentages were calculated counting multi-sport athletes as multiple individuals, Paly’s percentages counted multi-sport athletes as single individuals.

Note: Aragon, Bellarmine, Burlingame, Carlmont, Cupertino, Gilroy, Homestead, Leland, Los Gatos, Lynbrook, Menlo, Milpitas, Mountain View, Pioneer, Sacred Heart, St. Ignatius, and Woodside were not included due to missing data or low scores.

sports illustrated top three High school Athletic Programs 1. Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii) 19 state championships in the (’08-’09) school year

2. Jesuit (Portland, Oregon) 7 state championships in the (’08-’09) school year

3. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, California) 4 state championships in the (’08-’09) school year 2 number one ran kings in the country 53

issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

features

last word

Confessions of a JV upperclassman

Photo by Jack Smale

BY MARIAH PHILIPS AND ERIN KIEKHAEFER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK SMALE AND TALIA MOYAL

Upperclassmen speak out about decisions they made after being offered a spot on JV. wALK IT OFF Charmane Breckenridge (‘11) walks toward the sideline in a preseason game against Woodside High School.

T

he athletes surround the coaches, still breathing hard, sweat beading up from their effort as they anxiously await the announcement.

The Palo Alto girls’ varsity basketball coach Scott Peters complements the girls for working hard in a solid practice. He stands before the girls and announces that they will make up the varsity squad and offers his congratulations to the members of the final roster.

For an upperclassman that does not make varsity, the announcement is much more meaningful. It symbolizes the proverbial fork in the road: the decision between playing as an upperclassman on a junior varsity (JV) team filled with un-

54

derclassmen or quitting a once enjoyed sport.

Most players on a Paly team have gone through the anticipation of listening for their name called for the varsity roster. For most upperclassmen, they expect to play on the varsity team, but select juniors and seniors must deal with the apprehension of whether or not they will make varsity.

Some coaches talk to these players before making the final roster and give them the option to either move up to varsity with little to no playing time, to remain on the JV team, perhaps as strong leaders, or to not play the sport for that season.

For Charmane Breckenridge (‘11), a basketball player at Palo Alto High School,

the decision to keep playing basketball for the Paly girls JV team was not made easily.

“I told myself that if I were going to be put on JV I wouldn’t play,” Breckenridge said. “But, the JV coach pushed me to play, even though I didn’t want to be on the team.”

Breckenridge, who has played basketball since first grade and for Paly since her sophomore year, recalls having had big dreams for basketball. However, her love of the game began to wither, due largely to her team placement.

“When I was little, I wanted to play basketball in college,” Breckenridge said.

“But as I got older it just wasn’t my thing

each individual to not only put in effort, but also work hard to prepare themselves for varsity if that is what they want.”

Clay realizes that much of the work must be done by the player, however.

“I treat everyone equally and teach everyone the same skills,” Clay said. “But it is up to the players to put in the extra effort to do what it takes to be varsity bound.”

Breckenridge spoke to Clay about continuing her basketball career on JV this season, and Breckenridge decided that playing on the team was what she wanted for herself.

Breckenridge hopes that playing on JV this season will give her more experience and leadership as a player, even though it was not her first choice. Other athletes at Paly have gone through the same situation as Breckenridge.

One of two juniors on the Paly JV soccer team, Brandon Nguyen (‘11) looks forward to being a dedicated team leader and captain this year. He remains positive and believes the players will become closer this year, partly because of his experience on the team.

“Since I played JV last year, I know what to expect, and I have experience that the underclassmen don’t have,” Nguyen said.

“I was named a captain, and I try to lead by example.”

In his eleventh year of playing soccer, Nguyen started the season with the intention of training with the JV team for a short period of time and then moving up to varsity, but the coaches asked him to stay on JV. “I was asked if I wanted to play JV, and I accepted with the idea that I would practice with varsity and later in the season play varsity,” Nguyen said. “But it turns out that JV needed help, so I decided to

“Yeah, [age] is a factor. The number one factor is what’s best for the program and also what’s best for the player,” Scott Peters said. be to help develop skills in general for all the girls, and by doing that we as a team can help build the program,” Clay said.

“As time progresses, it would be up to

play JV.” Nguyen has set specific goals for himself this season, which mainly include improving his tempo and ball skills.

Photo by Jack Smale

n

anymore.”

Although she felt disappointed about her placement on JV this year, Breckenridge acknowledges the advantage of being an older and more experienced player on a young team, which translates to a larger role on the court during games.

Girls’ JV basketball coach Brianna Clay expects her older players to step up to leadership roles.

“I would expect them [upperclassmen] to take on a leadership role because they are older and hopefully mature enough to be able to handle certain responsibilities on and off the court, Clay said. “I expect them to not only lead with their voice, but also lead by example and do the right thing.”

Aside from holding a leadership role, Breckenridge acknowledges that she will be able to increase her game experience by playing with the JV. “On JV, I’ll get more playing time,” Breckenridge said. “Also, I like the JV coach better than the varsity coach.”

Paly girls’ varsity basketball coach, Scott Peters acknowledges that some players perform better at the JV level than at the varsity level, and takes both grade level and years in the program into account when placing a player on a roster. “[Age] is a factor,” Peters said. “The number one factor is what’s best for the program, and also what’s best for the player. If it’s someone I see playing on the varsity team and, looking at their past if they’ve established themselves as a JV player, then I would probably put them on varsity.”

Clay coaches regardless of age in attempt to prepare them for varsity and strengthen the basketball program as a whole.

“I think my main focus as a coach would

INTENSE Breckenridge (‘11) prepares to shoot as the Paly girls’ varsity basketball team cheers the girls’ JV team on from the stands above.

“My main goal is to improve my technical game as in touch, passing, and then my speed of play so that I can possibly get moved up,” Nguyen said. “I just need to work harder on my own.”

Since this is Nguyen’s third consecutive season playing for JV, he knows that keeping a positive attitude will keep him upbeat and optimistic this season. While playing for JV was not his first choice for his junior year soccer season, Nguyen believes that this is where the Paly soccer program needs him the most.

Another soccer player, Ethan Plant (‘10), found himself facing the same issue as Nguyen and Breckenridge his ju-

55

issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

last word

2008-2009 Paly boys’ soccer team.

“On the whole, I would have loved to play, especially since we were so good,” Plant said. “But I think it was the right decision [not to play for school] because it was helpful for club [soccer] and academics and to focus on higher priorities.”

Because of this decision, Plant lost a year of team bonding with his current team. Despite this fact, Plant still believes he can maintain a strong relationship with his teammates and also be a potential leader for the varsity team this year.

“I played with a bunch of these guys my sophomore year,” Plant said. “I got to assimilate into their culture, and it is a

tight knit group by trade.”

Plant also recognizes that it is his last opportunity to play school soccer, as he will not be playing soccer for a college team.

“Since I won’t be playing in college, this will be my last school soccer season,” Plant said. “I think it is a good thing for me to do.”

Each athlete faced the JV decision and made a choice that suited him or herself best, whether that meant quitting, taking a year off, or continuing to play at a level lower than they hoped, the three players feel content with their different paths. <<<

Photo by Talia Moyal

nior year, but decided to take a different route.

Plant, who has played competitive soccer since sixth grade, debated playing for the Paly varsity team last year, which was predominately composed of seniors or taking the year off and focusing on other commitments.

“I didn’t believe I was going to play a lot,” Plant said. “Coming from a club team and playing a lot consistently, I wasn’t going to improve being a utility player.”

Plant decided to take the year off, focusing on academics, club soccer and other factors. However, Plant does slightly regret leaving a team as successful as the

features

Photo by Talia Moyal DEFENSE Ethan Plant (‘10) dribbles past a Saint Ignatius defender during one of the Viking’s first preseason games.

56

March 2009

August 2009 August 2009

Photo by Talia Moyal

ll Marsha e i c a r G by in, ka Dreb l i a l a M y a raphy b lia Moy Photog imura and Ta aj Hana K

W

hile the rest of their classmates are burning in “application hell” and bogged down with SATs, the handful of seniors at Paly who have already committed to play a sport in college are enjoying a stress-free year.

For most 2010 high school graduates, first semester of senior year has not been treating them too kindly. With SATs, college applications and regular classes on their plates, Paly seniors cannot wait for second semester to roll around. But for a select few, second semester senioritis kicked-in before the school year even began. For these athletes, the anxiety that encompasses the initial months of senior year has been pushed aside because their college careers are already set in stone thanks to their excellence in athletics.

Kelly Jenks (‘10), Paly varsity girls’ soccer player, set aside her college worries on March 24, 2009, when she committed to Santa Clara University to play for its Division I team. Jenks, who has been playing on the varsity soccer and softball team for all four years of her high school career, was also recruited by University of Pacific,

Saint Mary’s, Cal State Fullerton, and a few schools in Florida. However, Jenks’ decision came down to University of Pacific and Santa Clara University.

“They were both similar, but Santa Clara was the whole package,” Jenks said.

“When I was a little kid, I always thought it would be amazing to play there, but I never thought I would be good enough.”

Other seniors, such as Erika Hoglund (‘10), Jenner Fox (‘10) and Joc Pederson (‘10) committed during the summer of 2009. Pederson, who will attend University of Southern California in the fall of 2010 to play baseball, committed in August of 2009. He also considered Arizona State University, University of Oregon and Oregon State. Pederson began his recruitment process by attending showcases in the summer where west coast college coaches were in attendance.

Fox, who committed to Yale University in September to play soccer, went about his recruitment process by sending emails and skills videos to over thirty coaches.

Like Pederson, he also received recognition by playing in showcase tournaments, through which he received the most attractive offers from Yale and Brown University. Although Fox held both schools in equal esteem, Yale felt like a better fit.

“Both schools provided extraordinary educational opportunities and they were offering the same amount of financial aid,” Fox said. “I felt comfortable with the guys on the team at Yale, and I really liked the coach. Even though Brown’s soccer team was better than Yale’s this year I felt like I would be happier at Yale, and that I would be able to come in and make an impact on the field right away.”

For many college recruits, including

57

issue 3 Previews

Profiles

features

last word

Photo by Malaika Drebin

Photo by Talia Moyal

KicKoff

Photo by Allie Shorin

sKiLL Jenner Fox (‘10) blocks off his defender as he drives toward the goal.

sPeeD Kelly Jenks (‘10) uses her agility and foot skills to force the ball into offensive territory and toward the goal.

58

Fox, the balance between school and athletics plays a large role in deciding which school to play for.

“When I was making my decision I tried putting how much soccer would affect my life at either school into perspective,” Fox said. “I figured it would take up about a third of my time, and even though Brown played a sweet brand of soccer, I liked the whole picture at Yale.”

Hoglund, who committed to play soccer at Princeton University, got a late start in the process of marketing herself as a collegiate athlete.

“I was actually really late in my recruitment and my commitment was not at all [done in] the normal way,” Hoglund said.

“I went to their [Princeton’s] camp at the end of July and that was the first time they had seen me play. It was a four-day camp and at the end of the week they told me they were really interested and that they wanted me on their team and that they had a spot for me. Then they saw me play the next week at the Surf Summer Cup in San Diego. That was when I committed. It was a very, very short process.”

For all of these seniors, they have felt relieved academically since they have committed to their respective schools.

“After I finished my Yale application in September, this semester became very manageable,” Fox said. “So far, it is much easier than last year, partly because the pressure is off. I’m not constantly writing emails and I’m not studying for SAT’s. My work load is less intense.”

Hoglund feels similarly and because she committed before the school year commenced she was able to alter her schedule so that her workload would be a lot less strenuous.

“I had a full schedule this year,” Hoglund said. “I was taking seven classes and I decided after I committed to drop AP English. I hadn’t done most of the summer reading and wasn’t really looking forward to doing it, so I was glad to be able to drop it. It was a load off my schedule.”

Unlike many seniors who end up taking the SAT or ACT multiple times, Hoglund only needed to take the SAT once because of her early commitment to college.

“I only took it [the SAT] once,” Hoglund said. “I was happy with my score but not 100 percent satisfied. I was planning on taking it again this fall. But once I committed and told them [the coaches] my scores they said that was fine, so I didn’t think about taking it again.”

Although these seniors have been able to adjust their schedules since they have committed to their respective colleges, they also must maintain their grades in order to keep their spot on the team.

“The coach did make sure to tell me ‘this is a Division I school but it’s not like UCLA or Cal where athletes get a free pass

“Peop is like academically’,” Hoglund said. “It’s an Ivy League school and there are certain differences between Ivy division one schools and regular division one schools. I have to maintain my GPA as well as I can and he [my coach] said C’s are unacceptable.”

Fox also must maintain his current GPA

stRess fRee Paly’s committed seniors, unlike their fellow classmates, are able to free their minds of SAT and college applications and enjoy a more relaxing senior year.

the benefits of not having the constant anxieties that encompass college applications on their minds.

“People say doing college applications is like taking a whole other AP class, so that has been a major help,” Hoglund said. “My whole attitude toward school is a whole lot less stressed, and it’s a lot more relaxing just to sit back and enjoy my senior year. I have to still work hard but I get to do so knowing that the expectations aren’t as high.”

Fox has felt similar relief and feels especially lucky that he is not in the same situation as his friends.

“I feel very lucky that it worked out the way it did,” Fox said. “I don’t like talking about already getting into Yale with my friends because most of them are in application hell and are uncertain about what schools they will by accepted by. This stress sometimes produces animosity towards my situation but always in a joking manner.”

Jenks can also relate to the relief that the other committed seniors have felt

Photo by Malaika Drebin

to keep his spot on the team. Pederson, although not attending an Ivy League, is also mandated to get good grades.

“They told me the worse case scenario would be if I got all C’s” Pederson said.

Along with the expectation to sustain a sturdy grade point average, committed seniors are also required to maintain their skill level in their respective sports.

“I have to workout every day,” Pederson said. “I come home from practice, hit, go eat and then I lift weights.”

Jenks also lifts weights to stay in shape for her college team.

“I am starting a weight program, not to bulk up but to get toned and to get faster,” Jenks said. “I’m trying to rev it up before summer.”

All the committed seniors receive workout programs over the summer to prepare for the college level of play.

“Colleges give you summer fitness plans so you come in ready to go and are prepared fitness wise,” Hoglund said. “[They give out fitness plans] so that you’re able to keep up with college level fitness and

aGGRessiON Erika Hoglund (‘10) boots the ball up to open teammates.

so you are not coming in after a summer of not having played.”

Despite the hard work required to get in the physical condition necessary to compete at a collegiate level, the handful of Paly seniors who have already committed to play a sport in college are reaping

since their decision to play at their respective schools.

“I can’t imagine having to apply to like fifteen schools like some of my friends are. I think that’s crazy,” Jenks said. “I always knew that I wanted to play soccer in college and it paid off.” <<<

Photo by Hana Kajimura

eople say doing college applications like taking a whole other AP class,” Hoglund (‘10) said.

POweR Joc Pederson (‘10) drives the ball over the heads of the outfielders.

59

w

Did you miss the last issue of The Viking? No problem, just visit voice.paly.net today to catch up on everything you missed!

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DAY N U S

19

26

18 25

17

24

at Wilcox (7:00)

at Paly vs. Homestead (3:30)

at Paly vs. Los Altos at Los Altos (7:00) (3:30) at Mountain View (7:00)

12

at Gunn (3:30) at Paly vs. Gunn (3:30)

11

10

5

at Paly vs. Saratoga (3:30) at Paly vs. Menlo (6:00)

4

29

3

28

January 2010

29

28

at Fremont HS (5:30 pm) at Paly vs. Los Gatos (7:45) at Paly vs. Saratoga (6:15)

27

at Mountain View (3:30) at Gilroy HS (9:00 am) at Paly vs. Monta Vista at Paly (5:30 pm) (6:00)

22

15

8

at Paly vs. Gunn (7:45) at Paly vs. Gunn (6:15)

at Watsonville HS (9:00 am) at Los Gatos (7:45) at Paly vs. Saratoga (6:15)

1

21

14

at Paly vs. Los Gatos (3:30) at Los Gatos (3:30) at Wilcox (5:30 pm)

7

at Paly vs. Monta Vista (3:30) at Monta Vista (3:30) at Cupertino(5:30 pm)

31

2

at Gilroy HS (9:00 am)

at Watsonville HS (9:00am)

30

23

16

at Paly vs. Menlo Atherton (7:00)

Wrestling Girl’s Basketball

20

13

6

30

Girls’ Soccer Boys’ Basketball Boys’’ Soccer

From top, clockwise, photos by Talia Moyal, Talia Moyal, Malaika Drebin, Talia Moyal

issue 3 KicKoff

Previews

Profiles

features

I Put the ‘P’ in Pool

by Michael Cullen

last word

I guarantee you a goalie is not entirely focused on the game when the waters around him or her are fluorescent orange.

It’s brilliant, and I will be the first one to laugh when wopo stud Jack takes off on a fast break and a trail of neon purple highlights that Smale was doing more than just paddling towards the goal with intent to score. I would be laughing right up until the next time I jumped into a pool, and all eyes turned to me as my board shorts were soon obscured by an all too ironic cloud of fluorescent orange… <<<

I

Tsk tsk... Don’t worry, he has a gatorade bottle filled with water from the pool.

Photo by Talia Moyal

For me, the water is a place where I like to feel clean and refreshed. If I took a second to think about the fact that I was swimming in another player’s processed Gatorade, I’d be out of the pool and into the shower faster than you can say Fédération Internationale de Natation swimsuit regulations.

“Everyone pees in the pool” the old saying goes. That means little tykes in their floaties, senior citizens doing aqua aerobics and… athletes?

It recently dawned on me while chatting with my wa-

Photo by Cassie Prioleau f I played water polo or swam competitively, there would be nothing more disheartening than to be pulling away on a fast break during a game and to hit a mysteriously warm pocket of water, especially with my head bobbing in and out of the water and my mouth open trying to catch my breath.

ter polo buddy Jack Smale (‘11), that swimmers and water polo players often contribute their own special ingredient into the waters that host them in their athletic contests.

The funny thing is, these athletes are going mid-play, midgame, mid-shot. in how many other sports can you empty your bladder during the middle of a fast-break? That’s the beauty of it, and at the same time, the repugnance of it.

It’s not that easy to pee in the pool discretely in the company of family members or friends, so to be able to pull off a potty break in the middle of a game definitely deserves some credit. It makes you wonder though, how many swimmers at the highest level deploy ‘heat packs’ on the go? Phelps? Spitz? Aquaman?

This, of course, is why we have chlorine in pools. Obviously, someone before me had the same realization and an access to chemicals that I unfortunately do not have. But I do have this magazine, so I might as well contribute my own idea to the proverbial waters. Someone out there needs to invent a compound similar to chlorine, which when triggered by a certain ‘accident’ in the pool, will turn the water in the affected area a different color, preferably a fluorescent orange, or neon purple.

Frankly, it would be epic. Think Caddy-shack. First there would be confusion, then disgust, then panic as everyone (including the culprit) would swim as fast as they could away from the danger zone to avoid blame. Coaches could use it to their advantage, having a designated and hydrated player change the color of the water in the defensive zone, immediately bringing the offensive attack of the opposition to a screeching halt. The other team has a star player—how do you stop him? Pee in the water he’s been hitting shots from all game.

He won’t be the hot shooter anymore–more like lukewarm. If there’s a ferocious net-minder blocking everything thrown their way, send a driver towards the cage and let them unleash the inner demons of their urinary bladder into the opponents’ territory.

“The other team has a star player: how do you stop him? Pee in the water they’ve been hitting shots from all game! They won’t be the hot shooter anymore—more like lukewarm.”

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iAS SuPPorTS The STudeNTS oF PAlo AlTo hiGh SChool ANd STANdS WiTh You!!!!!!

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