Sports

SPORTS BRIEFS

Field hockey Final record |

Record:1-11 The team had a transition year. With many of last year’s seniors graduating, the team notched one win under their belt against Live Oak this season.

Cross country

The boys team placed ninth overall at their CCS final in Belmont, led by seniors Antoine Moret, senior and Dominic Clima. The girls team placed eighth, led by juniors Lauren Peters and Isabelle Moret and senior Megan Cubiss, who placed 19th, 22nd and 42nd, respectively. Antoine Moret represented Branham at the state finals in Fremont on Nov. 27.

Football

Final record | 6-4 Varsity lost their last league game to rival Leigh in an unfortunate shutout score of 28-0. The Bruins went head to head with the Longhorns on Nov. 6 on Leigh territory. Leading up to the game, the Bruins had just taken a win against Westmont, with a close match of 27-23. The Bruins did not qualify for CCS and placed fouth in the Santa Teresa bracket in their division.

Girls tennis

Final record | 6-8 Seniors Meena and Neela Iyer brought Branham back to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Though the sisters lost to Los Altos on Nov. 17 in two sets (1-6, 3-6), they said they were proud to begin a new tradition of excellence for the team.

Boys Water Polo: Record: 12-0

The boys water polo team ranked first in their inaugural season, with senior Matt Knudsen earning league MVP. The team failed to advance in finals after a loss to Pioneer in the first round of BVALs.

Girls Water Polo: Record: 7-5

The girls team finished their inaugural season with 3-8 loss against Santa Teresa. — Compiled by Alan Schaeffer

SPORTS COVERAGE

Jazzy Nguyen, Abbey Rhodes, Nolan Zils, AManda Day, Makayla Wu, Vivian Trinh, Juliette Bonacum/Bear WItness

Editors’ note: The Bear Witness acknowledges its disproportionate coverage of football over other sports during the fall season, not just this year, but as far back as we remember. While writers are encouraged to cover sports and topics that they are interested in, it has perpetuated this bias. As we move on to winter sports, we are working to improve our coverage to make it timely, accurate and representative.

Football has long dominated our attention, and for athletes in other fall sports, it’s long overdue for a change Coverage breakdown

Cross country 27%

of 7 meets, including playoffs

Field hockey 16.6%

of 12 matches

Football

100%

of 10 matches, home or away

Volleyball 25%

of 32 matches, including historic playoff run

Water polo 14%

ALAN SCHAEFFER

Sports Editor AMANDA RHODES

Special Projects Editor

Walking past the bleachers of a typical home football game, one is greeted by a wall of screaming students covered in blue.

The Blue Crew, the student cheer section, holds up Cindy, their mannequin mascot. Blu the Bruin highfives fans in the stands. The sideline cheer team leads the Bruin Beat. The pep band plays “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow during breaks in play. When the team scores, cheers erupt from the crowd wearing navy and Columbia blue.

After the game, posts flood social media, sharing photos and recapping the night’s score, from ASB’s @ seewhatsbruin and the Bear Witness and players’ and journalism students’ personal accounts.

At Branham and throughout the United States, football culture rules. According to Gallop Polls, nearly 40% of Americans say that it is their most-watched sport. The National Football League is also the world’s most lucrative professional sport, bringing in $16 billion in accumulated revenue, which includes advertising dollars, audience attendance and apparel purchases.

The football-centric coverage is also disproportionate on the social media pages from ASB and the Bear Witness, with a combined follower count of more than 6,000 in the community.

In auditing our own fall sports coverage, the Bear Witness’ social media pages have covered 100% of football games, whether they’re home or away. The only fall sport that comes close was volleyball, which received coverage on a quarter of its league games. The team has been on a historic run, having reached the NorCal semifinals.

This year, the publication has covered all 11 football games (100%) compared to 10 volleyball games (45%), three cross country meets (27%), two field hockey matches (16.6%) two water polo games from either boys and girls teams (14%), and two tennis matches (12.5%).

The lack of attention paid to other sports such as girls tennis, boys and girls water polo and field hockey is demoralizing for their athletes, who say that they are constantly fighting for attention.

“It just feels like they don’t listen to us,” said senior Lindsay Freitas, a field hockey player and ASB leader.

Field hockey games see almost no fans across their 17 league games, compared to the full bleachers and packed crowds that she has witnessed at football games. Additionally, the games are used as tentpole events for themed weeks, such as Homecoming and Dig Pink Week, which was originally a volleyball event.

“Football is the big attraction here at Branham,” she said. “You don’t really want to go up against the moneymaker.”

ASB Activities Director Christina Hillman pointed out that ASB sees football games more as events because of the amount of attendance that they receive and advertise them as such. “We need to build momentum with our Blue Crew and student section,” she said. “Once that momentum is built… we can get students to view other sporting events as events rather than being about the sport itself. Then when they actually attend the games, they will realize how cool some of these sports are to watch.”

During outreach once a week, ASB creates slides to inform students on upcoming events at Branham. According to Freitas, ASB does their best to include updates about all sports events in these slides. However, she believes that little attention is paid to the information given during outreach and social media reaches students better.

“We have to pick and choose what events we advertise [on social media]. If you push out 20 graphics on the same day, no one’s gonna listen to you,” Freitas said. “So we try, but I always think there’s more that can be done.”

Senior Adi Arora who plays quarterback and cornerback has also noticed the amount of attention his sport receives from the Bear Witness and from students. He also wants other sports to be covered just as much.

“They deserve, at minimum, attention and support from ASB or the school,” he said.

“(The Bear Witness) advertises every single football game, but (it would help) to advertise that the school really hits hard on other sports,” Freitas said, in reference to the Bear Witness’ sports coverage.

Bear Witness co-editor-in-chief Nolan Zils acknowledges the bias and said that the timing of football games when most students are most available — Friday nights make it an easy sport to cover. Zils has covered nearly all football games and took on the volleyball coverage during their playoff run. But he said that should not be the mindset of student journalists.

“(A good journalist) is caring enough to think, ‘okay, it may not be the most convenient and I may not like what needs to be covered, but these are the voices that are not being heard.’”

Even with small improvements in the coverage of other sports, and equal funding and resources provided, athletes still envy the amount of attention given to football, and want some of that for their sport, their fellow athletes, and themselves.

“I think part of being an athlete is about competing and doing things for yourself, but it’s always nice to see pictures of you,” said Bear Witness co-editor-in-chief Jazzy Nguyen. “And I think that it’s nice to see different sports being covered.”

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

CULTIVATING CULTURE History-making team inspires a loyalty among players and coaches like no other

ZIV GALPAZ

Engagement Editor MAKAYLA WU

Staff Writer

Despite their loss against West Valley High School in the NorCal semifinals that ended their historic season Nov. 13, the Bruins still have lots to celebrate for.

Ranked 73 in California, it’s easy to argue that Branham’s volleyball program is one of the best in the region. This season’s CCS division II win and the fact that they are again league champions will further cement their reputation.

Head coach Heather Cooper credits the program’s success to the community of athletes, family and supporters that she’s helped build. Even without the built-in culture of larger programs such as football, they’ve found a way to bring attention to themselves, and often pack the gyms for home games.

She’s called the girls team that she’s helped build a sisterhood, saying that she saw something special with the current history-making squad.

“I knew my gut was telling me the way we’ve been winning this season, there was something truly special about it,” she said. “I used that to my advantage and created the culture that I wanted it to be. And it worked, and here we are.”

The wider Branham community has also embraced the team. The Bagel Bar in Campbell, owned by senior Taylor Boehner’s family, donates proceeds from its a blue-and-white swirled Branham Bruin Volleyball bagel to the team.

Players like junior Ava Medina treasure the environment of their team that they’ve created.

“It’s like a place for me and my teammates to escape,” said Medina.

Among the satellite of supporters is professional photographer Tony Carason, Cooper’s longtime friend whom she describes as a blessing to have.

Carason, who has been involved with Branham Volleyball for the past 12 years, helps promote the program through the social media he manages.

In-between and during matches, he helps keep engagement with the program high. For their recent NorCal round two win over Buchanan High School, the Branham Volleyball Instagram account posted frequently set results of the close game with videos of gameplay and reactions.

He also shares moments off the volleyball Carason says that his favorite part about the volleyball program is the family and the people. But it’s Cooper who is the heart of the girls and boys programs, which she took over in 2008 and 2013, respectively.

“It starts with the coach,” Carason said. “She puts her heart and soul into this, and she’s been doing it for so long. And that’s what keeps me coming back. That’s what keeps coaches coming back. That’s what keeps the parents who are 10 years removed come in. That love.”

Although Cooper describes her coaching style as “hard and critical at times,” she knows that the girls understand that it’s because she wants them to accomplish great things.

“It’s just the culture that we bring in here,” Cooper said. “The dedication and the passion, and it’s blood sweat and tears at times, but it’s worth it.”

Mini Reviews

VIDEO GAME

Mario Party Superstars Published by Nintendo

What it is: The newest addition of the Mario Party franchise, “Mario Party Superstars” consists of about 100 minigames from all of the previous Mario party Nintendo installments, most of them with remastered graphics for the Nintendo Switch.

Liked: The selection of boards and mini-games you can choose from are fantastic. The game can be played by anyone and you can play with anyone: whether it be with friends or someone in a different part of the world. The music is also very well done.

Disliked: There are only 10 characters to choose from, which feels underwhelming for a franchise as big as Super Mario.

If you’re going to advertise this game as this ultimate combination of around 100 past mini-games, you should include a wide variety of characters to go along with it. —Nolan Zils

MOVIE Dune

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

What it is: The long-awaited remake/adaptation of the classic novel starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac and a roster of A-listers finally hits theaters. Chalamet is Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and people.

Liked:The sets, costumes, and everything was really beautiful and intricate. You really felt like you were there.

Disliked: The storyline can be hard to follow at times, especially for those who haven’t read the book beforehand. So read the book! —Sara Dediu

SINGLE Telepathy

Conan Gray

What it is:”Telepath” is singer-songwriter Conan Gray’s newest single, released on October 29th. The telepath he mentions in the title is the narrator, who can read minds by following the trend of behavior his partner shows.

Liked:I really like how catchy the song is. The infectious rhythms of the chorus drives the tune, along with circular lyrics such as “When yesterday you said you hated my guts/Now you’re back in love.”

Disliked: How long I had to wait. Conan Gray teased the song since Sept. 15, meaning it’s been almost two months since it was first announced. I now listen to it almost every day.

— Gyuri Kim

LIVE MUSIC The return of the gig industry

For fans of live shows, being vaccinated is a small hurdle to see their favorite artists

Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness

Fans over 12 wanting to attend Harry Styles’ “Love on Tour” show at the SAP Arena in Downtown San Jose on Nov. 11 must have been vaccinated. AUDREY NGUYEN

Art Director

After March 2020, it seemed as though concerts would never return: tickets were refunded, venues were closed, musicians took their gigs or dropped off.

Venues such as the popular The Catalyst, a popular hangout in Santa Cruz, that were once thrumming with drums and screaming fans were left silent and abandoned.

Many venues have finally made a tentative comeback. Concerts and tours are springing up across America alongside rising vaccination rates. California has made efforts to keep concerts a safe place with restrictions such as decreased capacity and mask requirements.

For concertgoers like junior Danny Roach, the return of live music was welcomed with open arms. He attended the 100 Gecs concert last month at The Catalyst, a smaller venue in Santa Cruz with a capacity of 800 people. The venue requires proof of vaccination, masks, and negative COVID test results. The band, consisting of members Laura Les and Dylan Brady, released their debut album “1000 Gecs” in 2019. 100 Gecs’ music can be described as hyperpop or experimental noise-pop.

“It was pretty nice honestly. I think there’s a certain level of safety depending on the security protocols,” Roach said. “There’s only relative safety because there’s always people that could be lying, but if everybody’s vaccinated and people are wearing a mask as they enter, I think that it’s not horrible.”

Aside from the changes that have gone on through restrictions and requirements, concert ambience has also changed.

Senior Caleigh Le, another concert goer, saw the rapper Pitbull at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in September.

“The atmosphere is definitely different, I feel like people are much more bold,” Le said. “People are so much more excited to be in these concerts because it’s been a year where they haven’t been able to go out at all. I feel like artists are also appreciating audiences more and audiences are appreciating artists more.”

Attendees welcomed the return to stages and venues, while venues and musicians gladly invited the long-needed paycheck. According to ABC news, 27.4% of musicians reported being unemployed in 2020. In June 2021, this rate was reduced to 13.5% according to the National Endowment for the Arts. Aidan Shattuck, a member of the local band Globocons, was one of these musicians who lost job opportunities.

“No gigs to play, no money to be made. I’m lucky I’m not a professional musician,“ said Shattuck, who turned to music production because of the restrictions.

Shattuck, a senior and bassist at Lincoln High School, mainly gets his income from playing gigs, whether it be musicals or house shows. His band, Globocons, is made of San Jose highschoolers, Shattuck, singer Will King, and drummer Jess Zalk. With the missing component of live music, the scene seemed to dry for a moment. Now, with its return, the energy is palpable.

“It’s great. I love it,” Shattuck said. “Obviously it’s not the same, because the whole world is not the same, but I really enjoy it. Wearing a mask does not hinder my enjoyment at all. It still feels great. I’m fully vaccinated. I’m mostly still outside, and I’m wearing a mask. Not everybody else does, but that’s enough for me.”

Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness

Smaller venues such as The Catalyst in Santa Cruz have welcomed back live shows.

Sara Dediu/Bear Witness

A Mural Club member retouches one of the three murals in the World Languages building in November.

EQUITY THROUGH ART ‘They should feel like the school welcomes them’

Mural Club’s work on campus explores themes of diversity and kindness

SARA DEDIU

Staff Writers

One of the ways students and staff at Branham have been advocating for equity and representation is through art, specifically murals. Branham’s mural club has been an official club since the beginning of the 2021 school year. So far, they’ve been meeting every Wednesday and Friday to discuss and work on their new mural. Their main goal is to represent as many students, languages, and countries as they can through their art.

The mural club at Branham began with Spanish teacher Erica Marquez, the club adviser, pitching the idea for a school mural. A parent had recently donated a $1,000 to Branham, and Marquez wanted to put it towards something both meaningful and aesthetic for the school.

“I want students to see equity in the walls of our school,” Marquez said. “They should feel like the school recognizes and welcomes them.”

The mural club’s first work that was finished at the end of the 2020 school year depicts a tree with two cupped hands at the top for branches and colorful handprints for leaves. The names of many countries replace the roots and the word “love” is written in different languages across the crown of the tree. According to Marquez, it represents how even though everyone comes from different countries, we all grow together.

“We’re just trying to spread kindness and love through paintings,” said club vice president sophomore Camilla Hernandez. “If people can see that they’re accepted and see themselves being represented around campus, it really does make a difference.”

The mural club’s future plans include a world map with symbols representing different countries, as well as a butterfly to represent someone growing and coming out of their cocoon. As for the club themselves, co-president sophomore Joseph Passarelli hopes they will eventually reach bigger goals and milestones.

“My favorite part is having something that people can walk by and be proud of. So, it’d be great if we could expand that outside the school,” Passarelli said.

Not only do they have overarching goals of peace and love, but the mural club is also an opportunity to practice your art skills. They experiment with different types of art mediums, styles, and supplies, which gives the artists a lot of creative freedom.

“A lot of members just do this for the art aspect,” club co-president sophomore Thuan Do said. “And that’s really my big goal with this club, for people to have a nice space to create.”

As for the effect the art has been having on students, Marquez says she has seen students standing in front of the love tree mural and trying to guess what it says in the different languages.

“Students now have something to look at rather than a blank wall and it’s something they can learn from as well.”