WISCO PILOT Vol 30 no.2
Articles by and for students
November 2023
COACHING YOUNG CHRISTIAN MEN by Anaya Britton Coach Phil Huebner (JV) and Coach Joel Radue (V), who played a substantial role in coaching Wisco’s football teams this past season, were interviewed by Pilot to find out what it is like to coach high school football. Both coaches had wonderful experiences and words of wisdom to share about their goals of making skillful football players, and above all, Christ-centered athletes, who willingly display their faith both on and off the field. These coaches put in hours of work to not only mold these boys into talented cohesive teams, but first and foremost, they focus on Christian values.
Describe your overall jobs as football coaches. Coach Huebner stated, “My job is to prepare the JV team to become varsity players and give them great game experience.” Though being a coach includes more than intense training to obtain a great game experience, this aspect is undeniably important. Teams also need the coaches’ discipline, so they will push themselves and work together as a unit. Additionally, the players need to stay positive even in difficult situations. Inspiration cannot take one as physically far as learned actions.
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Photography by Don Weltzien
In This Issue... P1: Coaching P2: Traditions P3: Tis the Season... P4: Holiday Shopping P5: Food Poll/Athlete Spotlight P6: Photo Gallery
Jesus, Savior, pilot me
Vol 30 no.2
Articles by and for students
THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS by Anaya Britton Once upon a Thanksgiving, there was a girl named Sally who ate roast beef and pomegranates instead of turkey and stuffing. Just kidding! While Pilot does not really know someone like this, numerous people around the nation prepare unique foods for this meal, and, with millions of people that live in the USA, there might even be some people that eat catfish or hot dogs for Thanksgiving. While traditions like this may seem weird to the majority of people, they seem perfectly normal to those that do. Pilot interviewed a handful of students and one teacher to highlight some unique Thanksgiving traditions. The first unique tradition described by Promise Cole (‘26) was that all of the little kids at the Thanksgiving table must eat first. Normally, the eldest at the table eats first—an unspoken rule at most family functions, especially if the eldest is the host or hostess. The second tradition Pilot, noted by Kalei Howard-Simmons (‘26), is playing duck-duck-goose around the table before their family begins eating. Why play a game about ducks and geese when Thanksgiving is most known for turkeys—not ducks and geese. On the surface, this may be the case, yet, on the other hand, ducks and geese were prevalent in the earliest Thanksgiving, designating them as the original Thanksgiving foods.
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november 2023
COACHING YOUNG CHRISTIAN MEN (continued from page 1) What is one of the best things you love about coaching? Perhaps, some people would think that winning is one of the best things coaches love about their jobs, since it includes watching their players perform to the best of their ability and the potential to win trophies. Additionally, it presents an opportunity for the team members to demonstrate the coaches’ lessons. Nevertheless, Wisco’s coaches think differently. For instance, Coach Radue responded that he enjoys, “watching the kids grow into Christian young men.” This shows that his Christian faith shines through his actions of putting Christ first and unconditionally caring for all of his players. In this regard, it doesn’t matter how well they perform, how many points they score, or how many trophies they bring home; their faith and their well-being matters the most. Coaching has its many ups, but it can have its downs as well. Many might not realize how coaches have to mentally and physically commit themselves to coaching full teams, especially for football. They devote themselves to coaching; this takes preparation in order for them to prepare their teams for the games. That is why Pilot asked what was one of the hardest struggles for the coaches? Coach Huebner replied, “One of the biggest struggles in coaching is finding the best way to make each player successful.” It is very important to take the time to personalize your efforts in coaching. Coaches do this to support their players in the best way possible, though it may be
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difficult, especially when both the players and the coaches are tired. What advice to you have for any future coaches? Advice reveals a person's opinions and beliefs about a topic. Coaching successful teams is a very big accomplishment, and advice from the coaches that lead the players is very powerful. “If you are passionate about something, dig into it and do something about it,” declared Coach Radue. He encourages his players to do this. Passion can touch a variety of different circumstances, and, particularly in coaching, there are many different strategies that coaches use to mold their teams. Coach Radue is saying that if any coach is passionate about their goals, they will work at it to the best of their ability. Instead of complaining, a truly passionate coach will do whatever it takes to lead his/her team. As seen by the coaches’ responses, Wisco’s coaches set great examples for their players individually, their teams as a whole, and quite possibly even for other coaches. Coach Phil Huebner (JV) and Coach Joel Radue not only lead them to become strong Christian men, but they want their players to be successful athletes as well. As Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” WLHS coaches are working hard to focus on this.
Vol 30 no.2
Articles by and for students
‘TIS THE SEASON...
begin? From a brief questionnaire I posed to a few of my friends, it is clear that no one is really sure. Some say that anytime after Thanksgiving is an acceptable time to embrace the Christmas spirit. Others staunchly believe that Christmas should not even be thought about until the first of December, and, contrarily, the deranged minority proudly admitted to having already set up their Christmas tree. The public consensus is equally frayed. According to an article in Deseret News, 64% of people think that December 1st is the earliest acceptable date to begin listening to Christmas music. While this may seem like a good statistic to those of us who prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving to indulge in our holiday festivities, the actual data from music-streaming apps tells a different story. In the United States, the initial spike in people listening to Christmas songs occurs on November 13th. Worldwide, it occurs on November 1st. Clearly, some of the same people that gave the respectable answer of ‘December 1st’ for when it is appropriate to begin listening to Christmas music actually listen to Christmas music much earlier than what that answer would imply. In most cases, I would disavow such hypocrisy. As someone who personally believes that Christmas music (and, additionally, any Christmas festivity) is unacceptable until about a week into December. I truly want nothing to do with people who put up a facade of agreement with my point while, at the same time, secretly celebrate the Christmas season early. But I’m unable to separate myself from them entirely. Why? Because I’m part of the problem. At the time I am writing this, it is
An opinion piece by Ryan Parker A spirit is haunting America: the spirit of Christmas. Enthusiastic retailers are bedecking their stores in the symbols of the holiday, radio stations are blaring the same five Christmas songs on repeat, and the Hallmark Channel is hosting marathons of indistinguishable, low-budget, sentimental cash-grabs which disguise themselves as movies. I wouldn’t blame you for forgetting that we’re still in November. After all, the Christmas fanatics who have no moral qualms with beginning to celebrate the holiday a month before it actually arrives seem to have forgotten (or deliberately ignored) this very fact. However, these people are insane. They are not indicative of the rest of society, and society is better for it. But, if they are left unchecked, who's to say that their delusion will not infect more people, year by year, until it becomes culturally acceptable to celebrate Christmas in November? The aforementioned retail stores, radio stations, and Hallmark Channel have fallen victim to this mindset. For example, the amount of power they wield in shaping the relevance of Christmas in the public imagination cannot be overstated. If we, the last outposts of restraint and decency in a Christmas-obsessed world, do not establish a proper time frame wherein it is acceptable to celebrate the holiday, we risk allowing ourselves to become part of the problem, instead of its antidote. The key question, in that case, is when exactly does this timeframe
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november 2023 When Does the Holiday Season *truly* Begin? November 1st?
November 24th?
November 13th?
December 1st?
November 23rd?
December 6th?
not even a week into November. By the time you are reading this, some time will have passed, but November will still not be over. Yet, in this article, I have said the word ‘Christmas’ seventeen times so far. This is a Christmas article that will be published before Thanksgiving. If anyone is a hypocrite, it is not someone who gives one date for when Christmas music is first acceptable and then proceeds to listen to it earlier than said date. It’s someone who has the gall to sit behind a Chromebook and write about the issue of Christmas invading November for an article that will be published in November. Merry Christmas, I guess.
PILOT STAFF Co-Editors-in-Chief Mason Marrari Frank Quan-Pham Assistant Editors: Anaya Britton Brooklyn Dressler Sarah Lin Makayla Wendl Advisors: Mrs. Becker Ms. Grzanna
Staff Writers: Tommy Doerr Luke Carlovsky John Gehl Ryan Parker My’Dayjah Williams Staff Photographers: Hope Larabee
Vol 30 no.2
Articles by and for students
November 2023
HOLIDAY SHOPPING FUN! by My’Dayjah Williams Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and the Christmas season is right on the horizon. There is no better time for shopping than Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It is an opportunity to splurge on gifts for others or practice a bit of retail therapy for yourself! According to tidio.com, “over 140 million planned to shop on Black Friday in 2022.” Let Pilot help you prepare for these upcoming mass-shopping events with some useful tips! 1. Plan out your budget at least a couple of weeks before Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This way, you will be confident with a set amount of money to spend without falling into debt. Your trips, whether inperson or online, should be as organized as possible. 2. Have your Christmas wishlist written out and given to your family during the weeks prior (and vice versa!) so they have an idea of what you want to see under the tree on Christmas morning. They can use Black Friday and Cyber Monday as a perfect opportunity to scratch off items on your list.
3. ALWAYS look online to see which stores carry your desired item. Additionally, check to see when the store opens, so you don’t arrive in the biggest rush of the sales. Apart from that, often, the sales online are more appealing, especially on Cyber Monday. If you are more of an online shopper, sales are only a few clicks away.
4. It’s well known that going to selected stores as soon as they open provides shoppers with the best selection of products. Sot it would be unwise to go to stores from 2--4 p.m. as they are estimated to be the busiest during that time. If you do go during that time period, be prepared to face giant crowds of determined shoppers.
Did you know that last year, as listed on Zippia, 65.3 billion dollars were made globally from Black Friday sales? Will that number be surpassed this year?
5. Lastly, DO NOT rush your shopping. Set aside a period of time that you will be able to buy everything you want, whether you are traveling around the city or scrolling through countless websites on your phone.
THANKSGIVING the fact that stuffing oneself with loads of lucious and filling foods and TRADITIONS then excerting themselves in a game (continued from page 2)
Besides the type of birds, usually most families eat first before taking part in activities! Would playing football with family members after eating fit into this category? While numerous families across the nation partake in their annual football outing, there are, of course, those who do not. Why? For starters, the end of November grows increasingly cold, especially in Milwaukee, making it cold enough to not want to play football. Another reason why families do not tend to participate in this activity is
of football is naturally not a great mix. Lastly, not every family enjoys football. The final tradition on this list, provided by Mrs. Rimpel, is making fish and gravy during the morning of Thanksgiving. Despite the fact that fish is not one of the standard dishes to be served for family gatherings, Mrs. Rimpel enjoys this tradition with her family.
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1 Chronicles 16:34 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Psalm 69:30 "I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving."
Vol 30 no.2
Articles by and for students
November 2023
WISCO’S THANKSGIVING PICKS by Luke Carlovsky, Tommy Doerr , and John Gehl “Cranberries are sorted for ripeness by bouncing them; a fully ripened cranberry can be dribbled like a basketball.” “When life gives you pumpkins, make pie.” What do all these quotes have in common? They’re all about Thanksgiving foods. In the spirit of this fabulous holiday, your humble authors have decided to discover which Thanksgiving foods Wisco loves… and which foods it does not. As seen by the graph of 341 responses, Wisco’s favorite food, being 17.9% of the answers, is macaroni and cheese, and not too far behind are mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, respectively. Tied for fourth place are cheesy potatoes, stuffing, and, the Thanksgiving staple
itself, turkey! Upon examination, the second part of the poll reveals that Wisco does not like to eat its fruits and vegetables. When taken together, green bean casserole, cranberries, squash, and sweet potatoes/yams accounted for more than half of the responses for the least favorite foods. Also, unsurprisingly, stuffing is not just one of Wisco’s favorite foods, but one of its least favorite foods as well (8.5% vs. 14.7%). So when you’re trying to grab your food this Thanksgiving before it runs out, don’t worry about the cranberries or squash. Instead, head straight for the more popular, highly superior mac and cheese!
Top 2 Favorite
Wisco’s Favorite Thanksgiving Foods
Top 2 Least Favorite
Student Athlete Spotlight: Eva Kuehn
Wisco’s Least Favorite Thanksgiving Foods
Photography by Patti Wenzel
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Eva currently ranks 2nd All Time Girls WLHS Cross Country 5k - PR time of 18:29. She earned 2023 1st Team All Conference - Woodland West. Her leadership skills were used well as she was one of our three cross country senior captains. She placed 8th overall at the 2023 WIAA State Cross Country Championships with a time of 18:45 1st WLHS female cross country athlete to stand on the podium in Division 1 Start. This earned her 1st Team on 2023 Girls All-State Runners. She will continue to train for the 2024 high school track and field season and she plans to run at the collegiate level next season. That location is yet to be determined. Her hard work and application of Christian values can be seen in running and in everything in which she is involved. Thanks to Coach Schaper for these stats about Eva!
Vol 30 no.2
Articles by and for students
November 2023
ONE ACT PERFORMANCES Photography by Hope Larabee
Veteran’s Day Photography by Patti Wenzel
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