Granger high school
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TRICOLORTIMES.COM
December 2021 LXIV-2
Lancers rock with bands at Kilby Court By Abby Shepherd KILBY COURT is a local concert venue in Salt Lake City, located in the Granary District. It’s an all ages venue where many different musicians have played. This venue has three stages, which offer different kinds of music for each festival the venue hosts. Merch booths are set up to sell apparel and souvenirs from the bands performing. Local food truck vendors typically sell snacks and drinks during the festivals. Each one of Kilby’s stages provides audiences with a different viewing experience. There are two outdoor stages used for festivals; there is a larger one for
established artists, and a smaller one for emerging or local artists. The third stage is indoors, and has a garage-style theme. It gives a “hole in the wall” impression to those who’ve never been there. For those who have, however, it is quaint and inventive. Kilby Court throws music festivals, usually referred to as a Block Parties, featuring many different musicians throughout their duration. Attendees can travel between stages to watch performances of their choosing. This is a great way for people to become acquainted with new musicians. Times for each performance are posted so that people can decide
which shows they would like to see. The best part about attending a concert at Kilby Court is how closely people get to experience the performances. The atmosphere creates an encouraging crowd-to-musician relationship that is unlike any other venue. Granger students also share interest in Kilby Court. “I feel like it’s a really cool atmosphere,” Adi Mahir (12) said. Kilby is different from other concert venues because of the area it’s located in and the people who attend. Mahir also explained that Kilby is a close-knit community. This kind of experience changes the con-
cert, because fans are able to be close with other fans. Music lovers will enjoy the diversity of each concert. Each concert houses multiple artists amongst multiple stages. People are able to see different artists perform throughout the night until the headliner plays. The headliner bands are always popular with the crowd. Everyone dances and sings the entire concert. The environment is so inclusive and fun. There’s a small stage for local artists just getting their start. Some performers on this stage have been Addison Grace, Blue continued on page 3
Young The Giant played Kilby Court on October 22, 2021.
LIA enjoyed a lovely day at Camp Tracy
By Melissa Perez SINCE 2011, Granger High School’s Latinos in Action Club has been a great example of Granger’s active engagement in the community. The club does a lot of service projects like tutoring elementary school kids, donating stuff, and organizing school events like October’s Dia de los Muertos dance. Every year in May, LIA teams up with the Learning for Life program, and the students help run Camp Tracy for the elementary kids to experience. This October, to show the program’s gratitude towards LIA, the director of the program, Georgia Smith, invited the club to enjoy the camp themselves rather than volunteering. The LIA students had a chance to participate in activities like rock painting, archery, canoeing, and making quilts to donate to
Primary Children’s Hospital or Shriners Children’s Hospital. A favorite amongst the students was canoeing. “Originally I didn’t want to get on the canoes. I don’t know how to swim, so I was a little anxious, but once we got on the boats, it ended up being really fun and calming,” Cynthia Salazar (11) said. A lot of the LIA students had never gotten on a canoe before, and even though many were a bit hesitant at first, they were all able to have a lot of fun working together to move the canoes; some groups even had their own races. Doribel Buenrostro (10) said she preferred doing archery. “I’ve never done archery before, but it was really fun, and I was good at it, which made it better,” Buenrostro explained. However, she also shared that it was difficult to do activities like archery, since it
was really cold at the camp. Being at the camp in the early morning was definitely a cold yet beautiful experience for the students. As the day went on, it got warmer, and they were able to better appreciate the activities and scenery. Kearns High School’s LIA was also able to join the field trip. “I was very surprised how small their group was compared to ours,” Salazar said. Granger’s students that were able to enjoy the trip with Kearns students said that they had great personalities and were very nice. The students from both schools had a lot of fun participating in the activities together. The field trip at Camp Tracy was another opportunity to bring LIA students closer and build their teamwork skills. “All of the activities were mostly group
things. For example, when we went canoeing, we had to find a way to be in sync. It’s just good having help from different people in LIA,” Buenrostro said. LIA is really grateful to have been able to participate in the camp and give their thanks to Ms. Smith. “I really want to thank her because I know that it was really stressful because it was hard to be quiet because there’s so many people, but I think that she planned the activities very well” Alexandra Nava (11) said. After having a wonderful time making memories at the camp and enjoying the beautiful scenery of the autumn-color trees, the glimmering pond, and being able to have fun together. They were especially excited to hangout with Kearns High School. LIA students can’t wait to go back again on a trip or to volunteer.
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Heard in the halls
By TCT Staff “WOAH, SLOW down speedracer!” “Dude, they were totally cheating on the test.” “Ugh! I really hate when people walk so slow in the halls. Just because they don’t care about being on time doesn’t mean I don’t.” “I’m not sure who said it, but someone said that guy’s girlfriend cheated on him with a freshman.” “I saw her at the party, but I don’t know if she peed or what happened.” “He’s literally the only thing on her mind these days.” “You have Spanish? Yeah, I’m not going to that class either.” “No offense, but you’re really small.” “I’m so excited for the Eternals!” “He kicked it like he was so happy” “He has like two keys!” “Let’s play Roblox” “Dude you passed your math test? You’re such a little genius.” “I’ll get your rock.” “I am totally obsessed with him. How do you manifest someone?” “My mom told me that my hygiene is really bad...can you believe that!?” “Dude, yeah.” “So you’re saying you’ve never gotten vegetable oil on your hands?” “I hate that!” You can’t hate it! It’s the only thing that makes me happy!” “I remember in middle school, someone stuck a paperclip in one of the outlets.” “I didn’t even know she smelled like that!” “That’s why I always be checking myself.” “Don’t you guys bend metal or something?” “Just spray the garbage.” “Oh my god, my friend got a nose job and they did her so dirty” “I’m not human, humans are cold blooded” “Where are the girls, do they not have any here?” “So round here you’re nice, but when you’re alone you’re not.” “Germany almost took over the whole world.” “No, just Europe.” “Bro, I want McDonalds.” “I’m dating someone I don’t like.”
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December 2021, page 2
Tri-Color Times VOL. LXIV Issue 2
The girls tennis team is about more than just love By Adrian Aguirre TENNIS is a sport that has been around since the 12th century. The objective of tennis is to win enough individual games to win a set. Then, players must win enough sets to win a match. Many Granger students have found the sport to be pretty entertaining. This October, the girls tennis team, coached by Mr. Sanada, ended their season. Many of the girls have said they had a wonderful time. Some of Granger’s tennis players are sad that the season is over, but that doesn’t stop them from playing. Even when it’s not tennis season, they still take the opportunity to keep playing and get better. “Honestly, because of our love for tennis, we kinda turned it into a year-long sport,” Petra Acevedo (11) said. Acevedo has been playing since her sophomore year of high school. Acevedo played 2nd varsity doubles throughout the season with her partner Amber Dinh
(11) (or Kween Amber as some teammates call her). They both made it to 1st varsity doubles right before region. Varsity doubles is when there are two teams of two players each. Singles play is when it is one player versus another. Acevedo and Dinh both participate in the varsity version of doubles. “I had so much fun [this season]!” Acevedo said. She says that the season didn’t end how she might have wished, but it made her more motivated to practice for her final season next year. Camilla Quintana (9) has been playing tennis since she was eight years old. She talked about how great it feels to win. “It feels good, and it makes you feel like you’re doing better for the team.” Quintana said. Whe played her first season on varsity this year. She also said that she had a great time during tennis season and enjoyed playing with her new teammates. Quintana tried to remain opti-
mistic, even after losing. “I take losing as an opportunity to learn and keep training to improve,” she said. Quintana also shared her advice for new players or people who were interested in trying out. “Just have fun and know that technique will come sooner or later,” she said. She loved her first season of tennis this past fall. Most of the tennis girls feel as if they are a big family. They spend time together inside and outside of the sport. Not only is the tennis team accepting, they also help each other expand socially. They encourage meeting and talking to new people on the team. Alexandra Donoso (11) joined the team because she wanted to branch out and join a sport. “I am really thankful for the experience I had this season and for the new people I met.” Donoso said. She has been playing tennis since August, and she played for the exhibition team this season.
By Kim Rosales SUBSTITUTE teachers seem to have gone missing. As the year continues, schools across Utah struggle to get substitutes. This could be for many reasons. Granger High School is very short on subs every day. There are multiple reasons why schools are really short on substitute teachers, and the district is trying to find a solution to solve the problem. Being short on substitute teachers is starting to become a bigger problem every day. Teachers are having to give up their prep periods to go and cover another teacher’s class since there aren’t enough subs. Teachers also don’t always get paid more even if they cover for others. This leads to teachers not wanting to help as substitutes. There are a lot of risks right now, including the pandemic. With COVID-19 still running rampant, the risks of working in a high school are sometimes not worth taking. The money may not be worth getting the virus. A lot
of substitute teachers are elderly, which means they have even more risk factors to worry about. If a sub got the virus, it could lead to them losing their lives. Many feel as though teachers and substitutes aren’t getting paid enough. However, the district is trying to give them bonuses every time they sub. Unfortunately, the bonuses aren’t enough to cover the expenses if the subs were to get COVID. Being a substitute teacher isn’t all sunshine and rainbows — it comes with some difficulties. Students try to take advantage of substitutes since they aren’t their usual teachers and don’t know how each teacher’s classroom environment works. This can make the substitute’s job hard because they don’t know how the teacher would normally run a class. Additionally, students often try to disrupt classes which makes it hard for subs. Substitutes have to try and correct the misbehavior of students they just met. This is why subs sometimes don’t want
to go back to certain schools; their experience isn’t enjoyable, so they decide to pick up sub jobs elsewhere. One advantage of being a substitute is that you get freedom to choose the school you want to work at. Some subs have expressed their preferences. “I like Hunter and Granger because they are close to where I live, and they are good schools. I have subbed at Evergreen Junior a bunch because they like me,” Mr. Wixom, a substitute teacher, said. Another pro to being a substitute teacher is having a flexible schedule. They get to choose the days that they want to work. It’s especially nice because they can make some extra money on the side. This is beneficial because most subs are retired teachers. Everyone is struggling with the sub shortage. Teachers, subs, and the district are all facing this problem. This needs to be solved soon or schools may end up with even fewer subs willing to come in and help out in schools.
Granite District schools face a sub shortage
Donoso mentioned that COVID impacted tennis this season. “COVID definitely had an impact on all of us, but I think with that happening, I was pushed to want to try harder,” she said. While COVID impacted all Granger Lancers, it certainly didn’t stop these girls from giving it their best shot and prevailing at the end of the day. “At times it feels like a cult, because we like joking about how if you join tennis, Sanada will get you to join a bunch of other clubs,” Acevedo said. She says they also joke about how they’re in a cult with matching red backpacks. Brooke Bentley (12) has been playing since her freshman year. “Now that it’s over, I’m really sad — it was my last season playing,” Bentley said. Her older brothers and sister introduced her to the sport. Bently played singles throughout most of the season. Her motivation comes from a drive to improve because she is
really passionate about the sport. Bentley encourages everyone to try tennis. “Don’t be scared; it takes time to get good.” Bentley said. To Bentley, COVID wasn’t a huge problem because players had masks and were taking safety precautions. Bentley is sad to have finished her final season, but was really happy it could happen. When asked if they feel like tennis gets the recognition it deserves, most of the team members said, “No.” They understand that tennis might not be the most entertaining sport, but they work hard and put in a lot of effort. At the end of the day, the team appreciates their supporters and will continue to keep playing the sport they love. Overall, the team seems to feel great about how their season went this year. The girls tennis team seems to be like a family and a very tight-knit group. Although this tennis season is over, the tennis team is already preparing for the 2022 season.
Michael Myers needs to die with the series.
Halloween Kills is terrifyingly bad By Whitnie Larsen JOHN CARPENTER is one of the most well-known directors in the horror industry. Not only did he create iconic movies, but he did them on a small budget. In fact, the first Halloween movie in the franchise had absolutely no blood. However, since Carpenter’s dropping out of the Halloween franchise, it has been passed onto David Green. In my opinion, this movie did not follow the franchise mythology at all, and I doubt it followed Carpenter’s vision for the movies. Considering that the first one did not have any blood, Halloween Kills had a ton of blood. And I mean a lot. Even in Rob Zombie’s reboot of the movie, Halloween 2007’s 20 kills did not come close to the gruesome 27 deaths that Halloween Kills boasts. Other than the clear misdirection on Green’s part, this movie has absolutely no storyline at all. There’s no plot it was simply watching this guy murder people for an hour and fourty-five minutes. It makes it extremely hard to follow, especially if it’s your first time watching a Halloween movie. Within the first five minutes you’re already thrown into a whole murder montage. I can’t bash the entire movie, however, as the special effects looked beyond amazing. From the house fire to the very explicit murder scenes, the special effects crew did amazing work. I would like to applaud Heath Hood, who
is the special effects coordinator. I think that these effects were honestly what saved the movie from being unbearable to watch in the theatre. There’s also no doubt that Jamie Lee Curtis deserves all the recognition she gets. Having to stick with a series is hard, as you see a lot of actors drop out during the sequel or drop out after the second season. However, Curtis has been in eight different Halloween movies out of the twelve that have been created. The only ones she hasn’t been in include Halloween 3, 4, and 5, and the Curse of Michael Myers. Curtis’s acting skills really stole the show. Rotten Tomatoes clearly agrees that this movie is not what it used to be. “An indolent, narratively impoverished mess that substitutes corpses for characters and slogans for dialogue,” Jeannette Catsoulls, a New York Times writer, said. Honestly, I have to agree with this point. An average of 5.7 out of 10 on IMDb shows that many, many people agreed that this movie could have been better. This is a prime example of a movie series that just needs to be killed. They are milking the series, and Michael Myers, for the last few dollars they can get. It’s sad to see a horror classic get drained so much that it becomes one of the worst horror movies. All we can hope is that Halloween’s Michael Myers finally gets to rest in peace.
December 2021, page 3
Tri-Color Times VOL. LXIV Issue 2 continued from page 3
Kayden wasn’t really affected when lockers left Granger’s scene.
Lockers are not on Granger’s list
By Amired Vargas LOCKERS have been around since the day Granger High School was first built in 1958. Recently though, lockers have not been in use after COVID-19 started spreading like wildfire in Utah, and it seems like lockers will not be back in use anytime soon. “There is no discussion, that I know of, on bringing back lockers,” said Vice Principal Reinhart. Mr. Reinhart says that students seem pretty content with carrying everything in their backpacks. AP students, on the other hand, may disagree. AP classes are known for their thick textbooks, and carrying one in a backpack could cause back problems for those at a very young age. Mr. Reinhart says it would be better to have lockers so that AP students wouldn’t have to carry textbooks in their backpacks all day. For regular-track students though, the lockers are just not important anymore. Many students have mixed feelings about lockers not being in use. Manuel Moreno (10) is one
of those students. “It’s a good and bad thing. It’s a good thing because don’t have to stop by and waste time,” he said. Moreno says that one of the reasons it’s a bad thing is because some students would like to leave things in their lockers. “I would like to be able to, you know, leave my gym clothes in a locker other than in my backpack,” Moreno said. Lockers are a hindrance to students with no use for them. “It’s a waste of space, honestly,” said Moreno. “We aren’t going to use them, and it’s not like they’re coming back.” He thinks Granger should remove the lockers and make them into trophy cases like the ones near the gym. Another thing to consider is that the overcrowding in Granger’s halls is at an all time high. “Built for 2,700 students, Granger High School is serving more than 3,400 learners this fall,” according to the ksl.com website. “There aren’t enough lockers for everyone individually,” Ms. Hotlz said. “I think the lockers should be
optional as some use them and some don’t,” Holtz said. She also mentioned how full time locker use would probably add to traffic, as there would be people standing and crouching in the halls. Not having access to lockers has affected lots of students who skate. Kayden Wood (11) mentioned how some skaters he knows have been affected. “It didn’t really affect me much, but I do know that the skaters would put their boards into their lockers and now they can’t do that,” Wood said. He thinks the lockers are decently big and he knows some skaters can fit their boards in them, but it’s only convenient to them depending on the location of the locker. Perhaps, if students get a choice to have lockers, they could choose where to have their lockers as well. Mixed feelings about Granger’s locker situation are not new, and it seems as if Granger is not bringing back lockers any time soon. It seems the school has a lot to consider before bringing lockers back in the future.
By Pilar Olvera TIKTOK vandalism has been reported at Granger High. Students have been taking things from school bathrooms like soap dispensers, mirrors, paper towels, and fire alarms. The devious licks TikTok challenge encouraged students to steal. Students were destroying schools for attention on TikTok, and administrators were disappointed. There are a lot of trends that have been going around on TikTok. Once something goes viral, it can’t be stopped. Social media can be disturbing. It is very difficult to keep things in the right place. Most students want to use the bathroom without having to worry about missing soap or toilet paper dispensers. It is very important to respect school environments and not force administrators to punish students for bad behavior. Once TikToks have been posted online, they can quickly spread nationwide and become a
trend. This caused students from different schools to get the idea of destroying their own school. This TikTok challenge can take away a lot of privileges for students. Not only does the school worry about the students getting sick, but they have to replace materials. Some students feel that it isn’t necessary for others to steal things, especially when their intention is to destroy it. This is seen as being disrespectful. Since students are stealing soap dispensers, other students can’t wash their hands. This is problematic because students are still in a global pandemic. “I used to have to work at a school, and I know it is a pain to clean off vandalised things. I hated marker writing, especially in the boys bathroom,” Ian Bowles (10) said. Employees don’t like fixing vandalism. Since the workers have to clean up others’ messes, it can be hard to find people who are willing to clean it. “It costs a lot of money for
soap dispensers, and after a while, that builds up. It’s not easy on the school,” Bowles said. Having to constantly replace these items can add up and be quite costly for schools. “It is kind of annoying to be seeing this, because I hate washing my hands without soap,” Jason Bowles (11) said. Both Bowels brothers see the need to use soap to stay clean. The girls’ bathrooms seem to have no problems that involve TikTok vandalism. “Us girls have no destruction in our school bathrooms, we kinda just do our thing and sometimes don’t even need to take paper towels,” Annette Rodriguez (11) said. TikTok vandalism hasn’t gone unnoticed, so law enforcement may need to get involved. The TikTok app’s viral videos and hashtags hold a lot of power, but hopefully not enough power to prevent everyone from staying safe and having a positive high school life.
Devious licks: a vandalism trend
Rain Boots, The Moss, and so many more. This stage gives recognition to local musicians trying to grow a steady following. These musicians get a special opportunity to share their music with the public. It’s a special experience to discover a local band or musician. Fans get to observe the growth and development of the artist. Skai Sligar (12) heard about Kilby through an internship at SpyHop, a media arts education organization specializing in film, audio, music, and design. “It’s fun and affordable,” Silgar said. The tickets are very cheap, making it easy for anyone to experience their favorite artists. Kilby, an independent and local venue, attracts both Utahns and tourists because of its appeal and pricing. The big stage is for headliners and big-time artists. Some who perform there are Death Cab for Cutie, My Chemical Romance, Doja Cat, Young the Giant, and more. People are encouraged to attend Kilby’s fes-
tivals because of their headliners. The headliners draw a lot of attention from the crowd. These artists usually play for longer, depending on popularity. Danielle Quarry (11) has been to Kilby Court many times. She says that she loves the closeness with the band, and how excited everyone is to see them perform. Danielle also mentions that her brother often plays at Kilby in a band called Blue Rain Boots. “He asks me to come to his concerts all the time,” Quarry said. Kilby’s small environment is something Danielle loves about the venue. “The band gets to interact with the audience,” Quarry said. Kilby Court has been putting on shows for twenty years. Over 15,000 artists have been featured on the stages of this venue. The atmosphere all depends on the energy of the fans. Kilby Court is equipped for any type of musical event, which is part of what makes it special. It truly is one of the best, and most unique, concert venues in Utah.
Adi loves the atmosphere of Kilby Court.
Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Jocelyn Roberts Managing Editor Haidee Smith Copy Editor Abby Shepherd Jr. Copy Editor Melissa Perez Social Media Editor Angie Ramirez
Sports Editor Whitnie Larsen Student News Editor Elma Kadic Student Life Editor Karina Onofre
Reporters Jose Acevedo Adrian Aguirre Chris Amador Kelly Ayala Althia Emijwa Mapu Fuatogi Arius Hardman Emma Hernandez Leyla Ilyazova Karmela Johnson Belma Kadic
Reporters Adriana Lucero Irae Mautoatasi Mia Mariche Pilar Olvera Natalie Pereira Rachana Rin Kimberly Rosales Belen Suazo Amired Vargas Gigi Vera
The Tri-Color Times serves as a student forum for student opinion and student expression. The views expressed herein reflect neither the opinions of Adviser John Carlisle and Granger High School, nor those of Granite School District. The Tri-Color Times invites and publishes letters to its editorial board; all letters will be edited for taste, length, and liability.
Tri-Color Times c/o Granger High 3580 South 3600 West West Valley, UT 84119 (385) 646-5320
December 2021, page 4
Tri-Color Times VOL. LXIV Issue 2
Getting scouted takes time and effort
Since students can’t put their phones away, some teachers take them away.
Phone usage is out of ctrl By Natalie Pereira HEADING into the second quarter, most students seem to have adjusted to the rules and expectations at Granger High School. However, it seems that some students are struggling with putting their phones away during classroom instructional time. Mr. Rhinehart, a vice principal, said that he has received many complaints from teachers about excessive student phone use and how students can’t seem to put down their phones. “It’s been an ongoing struggle, and these problems on social media aren’t helping. It causes a huge distraction for students,” Rhinehart said. Ms. Funk, a biology teacher, knows firsthand what it means to have struggles such as these. “It’s frustrating because I know that the students won’t be able to focus very well on what they’re doing,” Funk said. She also mentioned that it is a lot easier on students and teachers if the school has rules. This way, no teacher has to be the bad guy, and each student knows what is expected of them. “Honestly, that’s the way we should go. I don’t like taking students’ phones away. But if I have to, I will,” Funk said. Recently, Mr. Carlisle, a photography teacher, talked to his students about how inappropriate it is to play pool, text with others, and use social media on phones while in class. “This is the most problematic phone year ever. In my classes, I am going to put the hammer down,” Mr. Carlisle said, “I worry that no one is going to have verbal skills. Talking makes kids nervous, so we need to fight back.” Mr. Carlisle will be more strict with phone usage in class because there is work that needs to be done, and he wants to make sure that no one gets left behind. Jarely Peña (10) and Kimberly Za (10) have both experi-
enced getting their phones taken from their teachers. Picture this: class has just started and everyone is settling in. All of a sudden, phones get taken away. This is what happened to both students in Mr. Eden’s Latinos in Action class. “Every morning, as soon as the bell rings, he would take our phones and put them in the phone cubby on his table. He says we should live in the moment and communicate,” Za said. Peña added that if you put yourself in the teacher’s shoes, then you can understand why they take your phones away. Other times, though, many students feel as though it is just unreasonable. A common sentiment is that sudents should be more careful with how and when they use their phones. Also, many teachers believe students should be able to understand and follow expectations. Rest assured, teachers will continue to be on the lookout for student phone usage in class. Many feel as though it is important for people to be more mindful of their phone use. Additionally, phone addiction was associated with stress, anxiety, sleep disorders and to a lesser extent, depression, as well as the use of alcohol and cigarettes,” as stated in the “Addiction to the Smartphone in High School Students” article. This does not mean that every student will fall into depression or start smoking because they use their phones. However, they should definitely set limits and boundaries before phone addiction becomes worse. At the end of the day, phones are private property. At the same time, teachers should have the right to create a stable learning environment in their classrooms. Whether students choose to be more careful with their phones or not is up to them. However, they should be aware of the consequences.
By Whitnie Larsen PLENTY of high school athletes around the United States are already looking forward to college recruiting season. This is because it presents new opportunities, including scholarships and/or offers to play sports at college. Here at Granger, not a lot of college recruiterss come to the games. Therefore, athletes have to put themselves out there. Reaching out to different college coaches isn’t easy, and many athletes may wonder how to make it happen. Kara Givens (11) plays softball and has been evaluating colleges as she approaches her senior year. “I personally like Bold.org. It’s actually free, and you just have to put in your information,” Givens said. Most recruiting sites cost thousands of dollars just to contact coaches. Givens recommends emailing coaches directly if athletes are not looking to spend money. “Make a draft with your stats, where you play, and then make it personal,” Givens said. She also said that student athletes should make a skills video to send
to college coaches. Mr. Babcock, a counselor, can work with students to make sure that class requirements are met and registration with the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) is completed. Registration with the NCAA or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is the first step for high school student athletes so that colleges can see that they are interested in being recruited. Without this step, offers to come play and compete for a school will not happen. “Talent-based scholarships are available for students performing at or near the top of their games,” Mr. Babcock said. “When student athletes are being recruited, I am contacted for academic questions to make sure that colleges are recruiting an eligible prospect.” Unlike other scholarships that have a dollar amount attached, eligibility for athletic scholarships have academic requirements, official campus visits, and signing requirements. All of this needs to be coordinated by the student athlete. “When I have spoken with
recruiters, they have repeatedly said that they are looking for athletes that want to go play at their school as much or more than the school wants the athlete,” Babcock said. Bailee Leatherwood (‘21) received a 65% scholarship to Big Bend Community College to play softball. “Be consistent with your contacts, make them remember your name,” Leatherwood said. “It took me a year and a half to receive an offer.” Leatherwood says that she decided to pick Big Bend because she loved the look of Washington, and she knew a few of the girls, including her sister. “I signed with Big Bend specifically in December of 2020,” Leatherwood said. Getting recruited is intimidating. It takes time and continuous effort to get recruited and get athletic scholarships. Athletes shouldn’t give up — it’s all about emailing coaches consistently, sending updated statistics whenever a new possibility comes up, and actively checking in with a counselor to see if there are any new scholarship opportunities.
Sports change student lives & give support By Belma Kadic SPORTS have a positive effect on student athletes, and it’s more than just acquiring new physical skills. It has the power to change an athlete’s life by motivating them to grow stronger as an individual, become more mature, and learn how to communicate better with others. It takes strength and dedication to become the athlete they are striving to become. Many athletes are putting in extra hours in order to become the best versions of themselves. It takes time and motivation to become the athlete they want to be; it can’t just be achieved overnight. Sports have an effect on making students more mature and more dedicated to their academics. Isaac Lemus (12) has been playing soccer and basketball since fifth grade. Sports are something he is passionate about and continues to do. “It keeps me in shape and helps me not get fat, and I get a lot of females when I play sports,” Lemus said. The biggest advantage of playing sports is that it can improve physical health. Physical activity is something that can prevent developing multiple diseases and can improve students’ quality of
life. Sports teach athletes multiple skills. It could be anything, such as communication, self-discipline, and tenacity. Alexanara Deleon (11) has been playing soccer for eight years, two of those years on the Granger soccer team, while also running track. “It taught me how to be tougher; in some sports like soccer, you have to be tough because people are rude, really rude,” she said. It is very important to not take in too much of people’s criticism because it can affect an athlete’s mental health. Sports are something that athletes do because
they love and enjoy it. Another big part of being in sports is being able to work as a team. Learning this skill will aid in daily life. Teams need to work together in order to achieve a common goal. Oliver Yeh (12) has been playing tennis since his freshman year of high school. “You have to work with people you sometimes don’t like and some people you do like, and then you can’t pick favorites with everybody,” Yeh said. For most student athletes, the pros of playing sports while in school certainly seem to outweigh the cons.
Athletes power through academics and their games.
Livestreaming games helps athletes reflect on performance By Emma Hernandez LIVESTREAMING games is something not every sport does. However, some sports teams decided that livestreaming games is a good idea. If they record, too, they can see their own game and look back on it. It doesn’t only help the athletes, but also helps the coaches to know what they need to practice. Other benefits of livestreaming games are easy accessibility, low cost, and catching everything on camera so the fear of missing something is gone. Kara Givens (11) said that last year, the softball team used an app called Huddle to
livestream. The Huddle app can record games and let other people see the games. Givens isn’t sure if they’re going to livestream the games this year, but she’s hoping they do, because it helps the girls a lot. She says that recording their games is very helpful because the players can see their strengths and weaknesses. Parents can also see games later if they can’t make it to the actual game. Many teams should consider this option. “Do it. It gives a really good resource,” Givens said. It helps players see what they might need to fix, and it also allows coaches and athletes
to watch games and track improvement. To post a livestream, you don’t have to do it alone, as many students are interested in social media marketing and they love to help. Doribel Buenrostro (10) said it helps the girls’ soccer team in many ways, because it lets them see the little mistakes and the room for improvement. “I’ve seen myself not covering a girl or not being on a specific spot,” Buenrostro says. Because of game recording, Buenrostro can see when to cover a girl and where to be. It also lets her know what she has to improve on. It does make some
girls feel bad because of their mistakes, but it also lets them see what they did well. Kimberly Chaparro (11) mentioned that Coach Opie’s daughter is the one who records the games. Chaparro said that they can see what they did right and what they need to work on. “It helps show how to do better shots,” Chaparro said. After reviewing footage, Chaparro noticed that she should focus on her foot work. Livestreaming and recording games also helps athletes with communication, as watching each other’s mistakes and watching
how each athlete plays can create room for feedback from teammates. Recording other teams also helps the girls soccer team, because they can see an image of how they can play when playing against each different team. Many teams play differently, therefore the girls shouldn’t play the same against different teams. Luckily, there is a lot of technology available in our school and many people who know how to use it. It will be interesting to see if there is an increase in Granger’s sports teams using livestreaming to help in the coming years.