BIGRED VOLUME 9 • NO. 2 • WINTER EDITION 2015-16
EYES ON THE PRIZE
Human highlight reel Cassius Stanley ’19 and the new-era boys’ basketball team are taking Taper by storm, much to the delight of the revamped Fanatics.
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • VOLUME 9 • NO. 2
thePlaybook Rian Ratnavale: CHEERLEADERS
Liz Yount: LOSING TO WIN
CAMERON STINE/BIG RED
3 8-11
There is a heavy culture of cutting weight in the sport of wrestling, but when does making weight go too far?
Rian Ratnavale: DOUBLE TROUBLE
12-13
Two sophomore twin girls are dominating on the court.
Jake Liker: SMOOTH OPERATOR
14-15
Freshman phenom Cassius Stanley ’19 is bringing the boys’ basketball team to the next level with his arrival.
Carina Marx: COMEBACK KIDS
16-17
Athletes face a mountain of challenges after taking a year off from competing due to injuries or other factors.
Athletes in all sports need to eat healthy in order to perform at their best, but what exactly constitutes an athlete’s diet?
22
Connor Reese: BOYS’ SOCCER
Centerback Ethan Blaser ’17 hopes to fill the gaping void left by the departure of defenders who graduated last year.
Carina Marx and Emily Rahhal: GIRLS’ SOCCER
18-19
Fantasy sports and video games such as EA Sports’ FIFA Ultimate Team have made their presence felt at HarvardWestlake with “punishments”, but are they a distraction?
23
Combining new, young talent with veteran leadership, the girls’ soccer team hopes to make a deep playoff run.
24
Juliana Berger : INTO NEW DEPTHS
The girls’ water polo team has the most players competing this year in its history, giving the squad depth it’s never had.
Guest Column :
LETTER FROM A HEAD FANATIC
Dario Madyoon and Zac Harleston:
LAST PLACE
20-21
Juliana Berger: IN GOOD HEALTH
25
Gabe Golob ’16 talks about his experiences as a Head Fanatic and how he thinks the Fanatics can have an impact at school.
Big Red Staff: ROUNDTABLE
26-27
theStaff editors-in-chief Bennett Gross, Jonathan Seymour, Henry Vogel adviser Melissa Wantz
2 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
assistant editors Ellis Becker, Juliana Berger, Zac Harleston, Joe Levin, Jake Liker, Dario Madyoon, Carina Marx, Emily Rahhal, Rian Ratnavale, Connor Reese, Cameron Stine, Bryant Wu, Liz Yount
BIG RED is a publication of the Harvard-Westlake Chronicle, the upper school newspaper at Harvard-Westlake School, 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604, produced as a part of Advanced Journalism classes. The school has 1,500 students in grades 9-12. For any questions, or to purchase a subscription or to advertise, please contact us at chronicle@ hw.com or at (818)487-6512. Copies of BIG RED are distributed free on campus to students and faculty and are mailed to friends and family by subscription at $15 per year. Letters to the editor can be sent to editor-in-chief Grant Nussbaum, at gnussbaum1@hwemail.com. BIG RED is a general interest magazine about athletics, including teams and individual athletic pursuits of Harvard-Westlake students and faculty, as well as health and fitness topics. For seasonal coverage of Wolverine teams, see The Chronicle or www.hwchronicle. com.
On the Cover: Freshman Cassius Stanley ’19 dunks the ball in a 76-59 victory against Heritage Christian School Dec. 4. Stanley propels the Wolverines to championship contender status with his arrival.
Cover Image by Cameron Stine
Loud and Proud A
BY RIAN RATNAVALE
lthough the cheer team is not out er said. “Basketball season is a little difthere on the gridiron or dribbling ferent because the games can be any day the ball up and down the court in of the week. We fit in practices when we Taper Gymnasium, its presence is a wel- can, but sometimes we have many games come constant to the ups-and-downs of a in one week. I have had weeks where sports season. I have four basketball games. In addiCheerleaders have to train just like tion to normal practices and games, we the football players or basketball players fit in times for extra practices, especially that they cheer for every game. around homecoming, and spend some Similarly to the football team, the time almost every week painting our ‘run team takes part in training camps, and through’ banner. So, to the person not in has to wake up early and stay late for the program I think it’s hard to know how practice. much time and effort we truly put in.” “Like athletes in any other sport, we Due to the amount of tricks and train,” Mollie Berger ’16 said. “We are a stunts that cheerleaders do, their bodies little bit different from other sports be- aren’t immune to possible injuries, which cause we have two means that they have to seasons — basketball train rigorously to avoid and football. The first getting hurt. time we start working “Like any other sport, To the person not as a team is usually in the program, I think we have our fair share of in July when we go injuries and like any other to a four day, intense, it’s hard to know how sport, we condition our cheer training camp. much time and effort we bodies to make us betWe meet back up in truly put in. ter athletes,” Berger said. August. We practice “A portion of what we do —Mollie Berger ‘16 involves lifting people three days a week, two hours a day, beover our heads and that ginning at 7:00 am.” can be taxing because we Sometimes the travel schedule and can spend two to three continuous hours practice schedule can be overbearing, practicing our stunts.” especially during the basketball and footThrough the tough practices, and ball seasons. because of a lot of time spent together, “What most people don’t know is the cheerleaders believe that they form a sometimes our practices start after every- bond that transcends their sport, no matone else’s have ended, around 5:30,” Berg- ter how tough it gets.
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GET ROWDY Cheerleader Maddy Harbert ’17 cheers at a boys’ basketball game. CAMERONSTINE/BIG STINE/BIGRED RED CAMERON
popCULTURE FavoriteNBA Team?
NFL Champ this year?
Donald Trump is...?
Most commonly used app?
Favorite gameday food?
THEO VELAISE ’17
WARRIORS
PATRIOTS
FIERY
SNAPCHAT
GOLD YAKI
girls’ basketball
JAYLA RUFFUS-MILNER ’18
CAVALIERS
PATRIOTS
OFFENSIVE
SUSHI
AARON GLAZER ‘17
CLIPPERS
PATRIOTS
HONEST
STEAK
COURTNEY GAZMARIAN ’16
WARRIORS
PATRIOTS
HMM...
SPOTIFY
ACAI BOWLS
Wolverine Athlete boys’ soccer
boys’ basketball
girls’ soccer
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 3
CARINA MARX/BIG RED
CAMERON STINE/BIG RED
GOING UP Right: Ali Iken ’17 goes up for a fastbreak layup in the Wolverines’ 76-59 win against Heritage Christian on Dec. 4.
BOOTS ON THE GROUND Left Top: Quinn Frankel ’16 takes a shot in the Wolverines’ 3-2 season opening victory over Newbury Park on Dec. 2.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT
CAMERON STINE/BIG RED
Left Bottom: Andrew Vanderschans ’16 chases down an attacker in the Wolverines’ 2-0 win over Palisades High School on Dec.4.
SKYWALKER Right: Jenna Moustafa ’17 rallies with her opponent at a preseason practice.
EYES ON THE PRIZE
CAMERON STINE/BIG RED
Ray Mueller ‘17 attempts to box out Heritage Christian’s Colden Davis ‘17 as he anticipates an opportunity for an offensive rebound Dec. 4.
Losing Win to
By Liz Yount
8 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
Wolverine wrestlers train to stay healthy in the face of a pervasive culture that pressures them to dramatically cut weight.
I
t’s three days before his next wrestling tournament, and Ryan Ruíz ’16 still needs to lose 12 pounds in 72 hours to meet his weight class. He sheds the final pounds by significantly cutting down his portion sizes, restricting his water intake and exercising three times a day. This is the most weight he’s ever lost, but when the tournament is over, Ruíz immediately gains all 12 pounds back by drinking more water and increasing his food consumption. His next wrestling tournament is the following weekend, and Ruíz finds himself in the same situation, restricting his food and increasing his exercise in order to shed pounds and meet his weight class. “You check your weight roughly every day depending on the time of the year,” Ruíz said. “I’ve definitely cut down my eating more than I would’ve liked to for some tournaments. My freshman year, I had to get used to [the eating habits]. I learned that when I ate a full meal, then it had consequences—not consequences, but I’d have to work harder.” The CIF Mission League division, in which the Wolverine squad participates, has 14 weight classes ranging from 106 to 285 pounds. Wrestlers have to be at or below the cut-off weight for their class two hours before their competition. Ruíz was ranked second in the Mission League as a sophomore and third place as a freshman. The weight class system exists to ensure athletes are wrestling against fair competition, or athletes with a similar body weight. However, it is usually more advantageous to wrestle in a lower weight class to avoid heavier competition, so wrestlers are encouraged to cut as much weight as possible. At the beginning of the season, wrestlers are required to take a weight certification test that checks their hydration levels and body fat percentage. The CIF prohibits athletes from going below 7 percent body fat, and the weight test serves as a check against drastic weight loss. Ruíz’s off-season weight is 136, he said, but during season he wrestles in the 126 pound weight class. “I definitely don’t have full meals the night before a wrestling tournament,” Ruíz said. “It’s making them smaller and then also making sure I’m not eating anything unhealthy. I haven’t starved myself. I’ve definitely cut down my eating more than I would’ve liked to for some tournaments.” During wrestling season, Ruíz intentionally avoids large family dinners and restaurants with friends. If he does go out, he eats off the kid’s menu to keep his portion sizes small. “I’ve woken up thinking that I’ve eaten a full meal the night before a tournament, and that’s pretty scary,” he said. Ruíz said he feels many people think of weight cutting in a derogatory sense, but if given the choice, Ruíz would eliminate the weight-cutting standard completely, because he does not believe the sport was designed to place extreme emphasis on shedding pounds. “If you could get everybody to stop cutting weight, that would be awesome,” Ruíz said. “But at the moment, like right now I’m walking around at 140, if I walk into a tournament at 140, I’d be wrestling people at 155 or 160 pounds that have all these advantages over me, so I’m going into a tournament disadvantaged.” He said that he initially found the eating requirements difficult
LIZ YOUNT/BIG RED
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 9
MILA BARZDUKAS/BIG RED
MILA BARZDUKAS/BIG RED
WRESTLEMANIA Russel Davis ’17 (left) tackles his openent during a match last Dec. Davis is returning as a leader of the team as a junior. Josh Musicant ’17 (right) takes down a Chaminade Eagle during a match in 2014. Musicant is no longer a member of the wrestling team. during his freshman year, but Ruíz has since trained his body to handle the fluctuating food intake by embracing wrestling not as a sport, but as a lifestyle. “Football, for example, puts in three hours a day, four hours a day of discipline for their sport,” Ruíz said. “A wrestler is putting in 24 hours a day of discipline and practice, because everything goes into getting ready for a tournament.” Last season, five Harvard-Westlake wrestlers qualified for the CIF Championship at Mission League Finals. Jake Adler ’17 won first place in the 132-pound weight class. Ruíz and Josh Musicant ’17 both took second in their respective weight classes, and James Lennon ’15 and Malcolm Neill ’15 both placed third in their respective weight classes. Wrestling Program Head Patrick Cartmill, in his first-year at Harvard-Westlake, also believes wrestling is a lifestyle, but says he wants to encourage gradual weight loss instead of last-minute weight cutting. “We’re focused on the good eating habits, good training habits and just learning wrestling,” said Cartmill, who has coached high school wrestling for 13 years. “I don’t want the guys honestly to have to step on the scale every day. It’s not about seeing how skinny you can
10 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
look and then going out there like a skeleton.” Despite good intentions, Cartmill needed to intervene at his previous school, with kids who were exercising excessively and taking extreme measures to lose weight. He said weight cutting has become an obsession in some programs, with “ultra competitive athletics” in the larger culture serving as a justification for disordered and damaging habits. “I’ve been around kids that basically became bulimic,” Cartmill said. “I walked in the bathroom, and one of them was standing guard for the other, and they were taking turns throwing up. That continued. It couldn’t stop, and that was something they had to deal with even after the season because they had developed a true eating disorder.” Cartmill said that while high school wrestling culture may unfortunately be making a shift towards weight cutting, he wants to keep the Harvard-Westlake squad focused on wrestling at healthy weights. Although eating disorders are commonly associated with young women, male athletes are not immune. Dr. Judith Brisman is the director of the Eating Disorder Resource Center and author of “Surviving an Eating Disorder: Strategies for Family and Friends.” She treats male patients as
young as 11 years old for eating disorders, which she attributes to hypermasculine athletics and a culture of unrealistic male beauty standards. “When anorexia and bulimia became somewhat epidemic, it was seen as a woman’s disorder,” Brisman said. “It’s understood that only five percent of people with anorexia or bulimia are men, but the controversy is that because eating disorders are so seen as a woman’s disease, the guys don’t come in for help or [that the disorder] is associated with sports.” Brisman said the dramatic food habits and weight fluctuation that college and some high school wrestlers display is an example of disordered eating. When athletes restrict their food intake for a few days, their metabolism shuts downs, she said. When the body begins increasing food intake again, either wrestlers will gain weight quickly, or their metabolism will jolt forward and speed up to the point where they have to binge eat to gain weight again. “[Cutting weight] sets up a physiological disorder, and there’s no question it’s disordered eating,” Brisman said. “The question about whether something is an eating disorder is whether there is a psychological reason behind it. The college wrestlers’ behavior is really dangerous because it sets the stage for a potential psychological disorder, but there’s no question
GAME OVER Jake Adler ’17 manipulates his Chaminade oppenent in an attempt to pin him. Adler no longer attends Harvard-Westlake.
MILA BARZDUKAS/BIG RED
it’s a physiological eating disorder.” In 1997, three collegiate wrestlers all under the age of 23 died in a three-week period from taking extreme measures to cut weight, the New York Times reported. The three men were from different universities and died from various combinations of cardiac arrest, refusal of liquids, heat stroke from rubber suits, heart malfunction and kidney failure. The crisis prompted the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the deaths to see if over-the-counter nutritional supplements were used to facilitate weight loss. At the University of Michigan, wrestling was suspended while prosecutors examined the circumstances of one wrestler’s death. As a result, the National Collegiate Athletic Association reexamined their medical guidelines for wrestling and prohibited the use of saunas and rubber suits for weight loss. The National Federation of State High School Associations also prohibited saunas, sweat boxes, rubber suits, diuretics and artificial heating devices. Jonathan Smith, chief administrative officer at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA, wrestled collegiately in Division I for four years at Appalachian State University from 1981 to 1985. In high school, he competed for North Carolina on the wrestling national team, and in college he won the Southern Conference Championship in 1985. During his career, he competed in the 150
pound weight class, although his normal weight out of season was 190 pounds. Every Sunday evening during season, he would exercise wearing rubber suits to begin losing weight for his Friday night weigh-in. “It was not uncommon for me to weigh in on a Friday night, then be 20 pounds heavier by Sunday,” Smith said. “So as the week rolls on, you’re losing more and more water, putting less and less in, you’re eating less and less, and the day before you weigh in you don’t really eat anything at all. You may suck on some ice just to feel like you’re eating something.” He said many people he wrestled against in college used medications, laxatives and diuretics to shed extra pounds before matches. Smith said he would never encourage anyone to lose the extreme amounts of weight he lost when in college. He now deals with kidney problems due to a lack of water intake that began in high school and continued into college. After Smith stopped wrestling, he developed regular fainting spells for several years after college because his blood pressure could not adjust to normal food and water habits. “You have two battles in wrestling,” Smith said. “One is to make the weight, and you’re singularly focused on making that weight. Once you make it, then you can turn your focus to the actual wrestling. The weight loss is a much harder battle.” Brisman would encourage anyone, athletes
specifically, to consult the National Eating Disorder Association website and a counselor if they are struggling with disordered eating. The NEDA estimates that approximately 33 percent of all college male athletes have eating disorders, the majority of whom participate in wrestling and rowing. “It sounds like they’re tortured,” Brisman said. “One of the highest rates of death in young adults is anorexia, and if you have a sport that encourages these kinds of behaviors, there has to be an awareness of just how dangerous it is. Eating disorders are really, really serious, and if this sets the stage for boys to be thrown off physically and psychologically, then it needs to be questioned.” Ruíz also said he has heard of wrestlers from other schools purging themselves before weighins to make weight, but he has never seen anything that dramatic occur at Harvard-Westlake. During the off-season, his friends laugh at him when he says he’s out of shape, but that’s only because Ruíz sees himself as out of wrestling shape. Ruíz says he does not believe he has an eating disorder or that Harvard-Westlake wrestlers are harming themselves during season. “You could say that some people who don’t [lose weight] right could have an eating disorder, but I don’t think in general weighing in everyday is what’s causing that,” Ruíz said. “It’s just making sure I’m on track and that my diet is working for me.”
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 11
Cassius Stanley ’19, the man, the myth, the legend, is shining this season. His presence on the boys’ basketball team this year has propelled the program to greater heights.
BY JAKE LIKER
CASSIUS STANLEY:
SMOOTH OPERATOR 12 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
Cassius Stanley ’19 models his game after Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook. “I think his explosion, I think I have similar athleticism like him, and, [although] I am bigger than Russell Westbrook…I think that I can still do some things like him,” Stanley said matter-of-factly, as though there’s nothing special about being taller than and as athletic as a four-time NBA All-Star in freshman year of high school. For the rest of the school, he is special. After the first home game of his high school career, Stanley took to Facebook to thank the Fanatics, and the responses rolled in. “I love you Cassius.” “U are a menace.” “Legend.” “Notice me.” A star was not born that Friday night in early December; a star exploded. Stanley was a human highlight reel, throwing down four dunks as a packed Fanatics section collectively lost its mind again and again. The atmosphere in the Taper Athletic Pavilion reached excitement previously reserved only for when Loyola comes to Coldwater Canyon. For the fans, Cassius Stanley and his dunks are special. But anyone who watches what Stanley does in the aftermath of a dunk would be forgiven for thinking the freshman phenom doesn’t feel the same way. He doesn’t celebrate; he hardly acknowledges his dunk, as if walking away from an explosion without flinching. Therein lies the origin of his nickname, Smooth Operator, which was given to him over this past summer.
“I BELIEVE HE COULD BE THE BEST DEFENDER IN THE STATE.” -HEAD COACH DAVID REBIBO
“One of my close friends was like, ‘I love the way you’re on the court because, you know, you operate so smoothly, and then just out of nowhere you’ll just dunk on someone. And your reactions, you don’t even have a reaction, you just keep running down the court like nothing happened,’” Stanley said. “I didn’t really think much of
it until he started calling me and texting me like, ‘what’s up, Smooth Operator?’ and it was just like, ‘alright, I’ll just start wearing it.’” Although he doesn’t show it, he knows that dunks are really worth far more than two points on the scoreboard. “You’re building adrenaline and it’s just, you start to play bet-
ter I think,” Stanley said. “Your teammates get amped up and you just start to play better...I think the dunk can really change the whole game.” He did have a reaction to being on SportsCenter’s Top Ten plays this June, for replicating Vince Carter’s ‘cookie jar’ dunk in 2000.
Scan the code to see more “It was crazy,” Stanley said. “I had a lot of people texting me and calling me like, ‘you’re on SportsCenter!’ At the time I wasn’t home and so I was like, ‘can someone please record it for me?’ and once I saw it I just went crazy. I’ve always wanted to be on SportsCenter so to hit SportsCenter now, it’s just absolutely crazy.”
SLAM DUNK Cassius Stanley ’19 dunks in a game against Heritage Christian Dec. 4.
Double Trouble BY RIAN RATNAVALE
A
s Jayla and Jayda RuffusMilner ’18 watch the waning seconds of the Varsity Football game at Homecoming, it’s easy to see how much the twins enjoy sports. While their other friends are talking or texting, both twins’ eyes are glued to the game, even if the outcome is all but set. After all the work the two identical twins have put in to get this far, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows the 5-foot 10-inch forwards. Before playing basketball, both girls were heavily involved in the performing arts. Their mom Laquette Ruffus-Milner encouraged Jayla and Jayda to do things like dance and theatre. However, the hardwood at their local YMCA showed them a different path. “We were doing rehearsals for our mom’s play and she was doing them at a rec center. So after rehearsal, we just started to pick up a ball and do layups and stuff like that,” Jayda said. “It was just for fun. Then one of the coaches at the rec center said ‘Oh you should come play,’ and the rest is history.”
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Still, elements of Jayla and Jayda’s experience in performing arts are present when they play basketball. Laquette, along with other team moms, formed the ‘Parent Hype Squad,’ which dances at halftimes and other breaks in play at the Wolverines’ home games. Their past experience in dance in relation to basketball is evident: teammates and coaches have described both players as having fantastic footwork and being very ‘acrobatic.’ Both twins had immediate success in their new sport; coaches repeatedly recruited them to prospective high school programs, and the girls dominated the recreational and club leagues. After they came to Harvard-Westlake, the girls had the challenge of balancing their schoolwork, friends and their skills on the court. “Sometimes you do get distracted from other things and you forget what your main goal is: to be successful.” Jayla said. “When we are at school, we try to limit the time we have hanging out with our friends. We do homework, and when we finish, it’s off to the gym to shoot around.” So far, Jayla and Jayda have followed different paths in their respective high school basketball careers. Jayla has immediately become a force on the team as a power forward who
I SAY TO MYSELF: OH, IS THIS THE RIGHT DECISION? SHOULD I PASS THE BALL OR HOLD IT FOR ANOTHER SECOND OR TWO? -JAYLA RUFFUS-MILNER ’18 NATHANSON’S
Jayla Ruffus-Milner ’18
14 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
Sophomore forwards Jayla and Jayla Ruffus-Milner ‘18 are on their way to success, on and off the court. Though they have differnt playing styles, they combine into a force for the girls’ basketball team.
can step out and hit outside shots but also imagine that transfers over in the classroom mix it up in the paint and play gritty defense. as well.” Jayda, a small forward, has a relentless motor With many long days at summer trainand brings energy to the Wolverine offense. ing camps, many hours in the gym and “A main strength of Jayla on the court many bumps in the road to get to where would be her offensive and defensive re- they are now, Jayla and Jayda have learned a bounding, as well as her ability to finish at lot. They’ve learned how to cooperate with the rim,” Ashlee Wong ’18 said. “Jayda is very themselves and teammates and they’ve deaggressive on offense and attacks the rim and veloped into legitimate go-to options on is also aggressive defensively. They the girls’ basketball team. The both know their jobs and they have twins, through all of this, have a significant presence on the court found a way to take the charand off the court, where I know they acter that they’ve built on the can make every member of the team court and use it anywhere they laugh.” need to. Jayda has been hampered by “Like school, you always injuries throughout her career. Afhave to think about decisions,” ter tearing her ACL last year, she Jayla said. “In a fast-paced game worked herself all the way back I say to myself: Oh, is this the ’ from the season-ending injury, but Melissa Hearlihy right decision? Should I pass the she has also been hindered in the ball or hold it for another secpreseason by an ankle injury on the ond? You use that in school, in same leg. Still, her coaches know that as soon life, in so many situations.” as she steps onto the court, Jayda will be able to bring a spark to the Wolverines with her physicality. “Jayda is very physical,” Head Coach Melissa Hearlihy said. Although she has been off for almost two years, Jayda played at the end of last year and this summer. Her development still has a way to go, but is improving rapidly. Even with this injury gap, Jayda has scored a total of 92 points in 29 varsity games played. Jayla, having played her full freshman and sophomore years, has scored a total of 559 points in 42 games. As sophomores, both twins are still learning the ropes of the upper school while keeping up their skills on the court. Regardless, their teammates seem to think that they have the skills necessary to be successful everywhere. “One thing they did especially well is take constructive criticism,” former point guard Teeana Cotangco ’15 said. “Whether it’s from each other, their teammates or coach because we expect so much from both of them. I’d nathanson s
SISTER SISTER (Left) Jayda Ruffus-Milner ’18 looks to take a shot during a game against Hart on Dec. 8. (Right) Jayla Ruffus-Milner ’18 runs on defense during a game against Hart on Dec. 8.
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 15
Comeback Kids BY CARINA MARX
J
unior guard on the girls’ bas- better.” In the beginning, her team ketball team and catcher on the was supportive. They had bore softball team Gillian Gurney witness to the experience she de’17 was going for a layup during scribes as traumatic. JV girls’ basketball practice last But as the season went on, the year. rest of the team slowly forgot that Someone else went in to block she was there, that she was still inher, someone she didn’t see. And jured and still coping with both the suddenly, she heard a pop. mental and physical repercussions “That was that,” Gurney said. of her overtraining. Her recovery Gurney had torn her ACL and par- was taking longer than predicted, tially torn her menisand she cus in her knee. She knew that will reach a full year if she reI was out for so of recuperation this turned to long, it felt like I was November. playing “It made me feel basketball, never going to be back pretty depressed,” her trainin the game, even Gurney said, “I ing would though I knew I was.” couldn’t participate still be at in the thing I love the same —Liam Hyde ’17 i n t e n s e most. I played two sports, so I had to sit level that out of two seasons caused her and watch my teams injury in win and lose and not be able to be the first place. part of that. It was disheartening… Along with her family and her I really didn’t feel like I was a part doctors, Gurney decided to quit of the team.” Her expected recov- basketball for good. ery time was nine months, yet she “If the training schedule was is still in the process of easing her- different, maybe this wouldn’t have self back into exercise. happened,” Gurney said. “Maybe For the rest of the season, Gur- I would still be playing my favorney showed up to every practice, ite sport. My injury was a result of game, and tournament to keep overuse, and I don’t think the proscore and keep the energy high for gram will change that.” her team. This was not a problem Liam Hyde ’17 had a similar for the avid basketball fanatic. “It problem with an opposite outdistracted me from the fact that I come. Over time, the cartilage in couldn’t play,” Gurney said. “Just to Hyde’s knee wore away because of be around the sport made me feel how much and how often he played
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IT MADE ME FEEL PRETTY DEPRESSED, I COULDN’T PARTICIPATE IN THE THING I LOVE MOST. -GILLIAN GURNEY ’17
NATHANSON’S
Gillian Gurney ’17
16 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
basketball, and his bone chipped. felt like more of an obligation and Stem cells had to be taken from stopped being enjoyable. It reached his hip to repair his knee, and he a point where it didn’t feel satisfywas out of the game for a year and ing anymore.” six months. In her year off, she saw positive “It definitely diminished my effects of having more time and doconfidence, both in school and in ing more of her hobbies. getting back to basketball,” Hyde “I spent a lot more time hangsaid. “I was out for so long, it felt ing out with friends and making an like I was never going to be back effort to go out,” Wasserman said. in the game, even though I knew “I had more time to focus on other I was.” interests, relax and work in school.” Hyde still showed up to every Wasserman decided to rejoin practice and game and managed the team this year, halfway through the team for the season he was out. the season, after being convinced He enjoyed spending time with the by forward Caitlin Neapole ’16. team, because of the great dynamic She wasn’t sure if it was the right between his teammates that year. choice at first, or an ideal time, but Sometimes, though, they would Neapole was persistent in telling joke about his injury and his status her about the team this year and as the manager instead of a player. encouraging her. “They were joking, but it just “Deep down, I think I knew kind of reminded me that I was that I couldn’t miss out on field injured,” Hyde said. “It was okay, hockey, knowing what it’s done for though, because I knew they were me and how it’s shaped me,” Waskidding.” serman said. After his time spent recuperWasserman had not played ating, including two months on field hockey since she had quit, so crutches, Hyde made the difficult her first day of practice was hard. decision to rejoin the team. “I wasn’t sure I’d play well or “I’ve been playing basketball be ready,” Wasserman said. “I really since I was four,” Hyde just tried not to get in said. “It’s something I anyone’s way and not run always loved to do, and myself down too much.” the competition in basBoth Wasserman ketball really helps me and Hyde agree that one with other aspects of downside of their respecmy scholastic life and tive breaks was not getmy social life, so I felt ting the amount of exerlike I needed to.” cise that they were used ’ Hyde felt much to when being on a team. Emma less focused on his Wasserman still wonders schoolwork, and felt Wasserman ’16 about the “what-ifs” that that the injury was surrounded her break. all he could focus on in his time Hyde looks back on his time when working for school. away with fondness. The dynamic “It made me much less fo- of the team he managed last year cused in school,” Hyde said. “I felt was something he really apprecilike I could only think about my ated and enjoyed, and even referknee.” ences that season as one of his faForward Emma Wasserman vorites. ’16 also decided to take a year If there was anything Gurney away from field hockey, but com- would have changed about her pletely by choice, not forced by an time away and her experience, injury or anything of the sort. she wishes she didn’t push herself “I decided to take a break as hard as she did. She still looks because I felt burnt out and be- back and wonders what she could cause there was a lot of pressure,” have done to prevent her ultimately Wasserman said. “Field hockey game-ending injury. nathanson s
PADDED UP Basketball player Liam Hyde ’17 wears a kneepad to protect his knee that he injured two years ago. BENNETT GROSS/BIG RED
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 17
Pay the way to the top A
fter getting home from school everyday, Ray Mueller ’17 sits down to do his homework, knowing that as soon as he finishes, he can return to playing
FIFA16. Once he finishes his homework, he turns on his Xbox, signs into Xbox Live and connects with his friends playing the video game. FIFA 16, a soccer simulation game, is the latest in a long line of the Electronic Arts Sports series. Worldwide, the FIFA series is the best-selling sports videogame franchise in the world. A study by EA Sports in December 2013 found that 459,000 games of FIFA 14 were played every 90 minutes. According to a study published in The Official Journal Of The American Academy of Pediatrics, it was found that videogames can actually be beneficial to children. “Compared with non-players, children who typically invest less than one-third of their daily free time showed higher levels of prosocial behavior and life satisfaction and lower levels of conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and emotional symptoms,” the report said. Dustin Jones ’17 appreciates having an outlet to look forward to, in order to help take his mind off of the heavy academic pressure that Harvard-Westlake applies. “A game every once in a while is refreshing,” Jones said. “It’s nice to keep my mind off of school here and there.” The FIFA series incorporates many different features into its games. The most commonly used head to head matchups allow players to play against friends, or against the game for pleasure. Players can play against friends either online, or on the same gaming system together. Random online matchups are also available. The game also includes a feature called Ultimate Team. Based on an EA created virtual currency, players try to assemble the strongest roster, either by purchasing players in global live auctions, or by using accumulated coins to purchase packs containing multiple players.
BY ZAC HARLESTON
Each ultimate team begins with low level players, and, ideally, players amass coins with every game they complete with their squad. “Ultimate team is the big thing,” Mueller said. “Everyone’s playing it nowadays.” However, with the spread in popularity of the ultimate team feature, the purchasing of FIFA coins has become more popular. “The FIFA market works just like a stock market works,” Marco Marenzi ’17 said. “The more people who purchase FIFA coins, the more expensive everything in the FIFA market becomes.” The purchasing of FIFA coins is an extensive process. First, players must locate a vendor online, and then choose how many coins they are willing to pay for. Next, the player must list a player on the FIFA market for the amount of coins they paid for. Typically, the process takes around 24 hours. “Most of my friends have spent money on Ultimate Team,” Marenzi said. “They feel it just makes Ultimate Team more fun.” Another popular feature of the FIFA series is FIFA Pro Clubs. In this feature, gamers only have control of one player on the field. Gamers customize their own player, and play with him or her to improve the overall rating of the player. Online, players can play on the same team as their friends, and work together to increase team prestige. “We typically play a few nights a week,” Marenzi said. “I think it’s great that we’re able to find time to just have a good time together.” The Pro Clubs feature of FIFA does not have any monetary loopholes, just the online feature, and the one way to increase team prestige is winning. “It is a good experience for us to bond,” Mueller said. “Just like with any team experience, it makes us better friends.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
18 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
ERE PLACE BETS H
Last place Fantasy football, real punishments BY DARIO MADYOON
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
W
atching football on Sundays is meant to “I think fantasy football has become more of be a somewhat relaxing experience; it’s a a distraction this year than in years past,” English time to forget about all the stresses that teacher Eric Olson said. “I don’t remember seeing plague our daily lives and enjoy the most popular as many punitive bets in the past as I have this year.” sport in America. However, this is not the case for While these punishments may seem to get out fantasy football players, and it especially was not of hand occasionally, many players feel that they are Oct. 18 for Kent Sheridan ’17. what makes fantasy football such an enjoyable activThe Green Bay Packers were playing the San ity. Diego Chargers, and Sheridan only needed three Along with punishments, however, come remore fantasy points from star quarwards, and rewards in fantasy football terback Aaron Rodgers in order to are often monetary. Most leagues typikeep him from finishing with the least cally have a buy-in fee at the start of the amount of points in his league that year, and the winner along with the runweek. But they just did not come, and ner-up and a few other high scorers get a Sheridan finished in last place. cut of that pool. Fast forward to Wednesday mornThis creates a conflict, as Harvarding. Sheridan rolls out of bed as usual. Westlake has a clear policy on gambling: He takes a shower, brushes his teeth “Gambling is prohibited. ‘Friendly’ gamand prepares to get dressed for the bling for athletic contests or card games ’ day ahead of him. But today is ‘Westis included in this prohibition.” Kent ern Wednesday,’ so it is time for him to The second clause of the rule seems Sheridan ’17 show some school spirit. to quite clearly outlaw activities such as However, unlike most students that day, Sheri- fantasy football due to its gambling aspect, but the dan did not reach for some blue jeans, a checkered text is not clear on what gambling actually refers to. shirt or some overalls. In fact, he didn’t grab any“As long as there is no exchange of money [hapthing out of his closet. Instead, he went downstairs pening on] campus, fantasy football is ok,” Assistant to the kitchen, grabbed a few trash bags and put to the Head of the Upper School Michelle Bracken them on over his regular clothes. said. “Checking lineups and talking about it at That’s right; instead of dressing up like a cow- school are fine as long as it doesn’t stop kids from boy for Western Wednesday, like most students, going to class and there is no Sheridan had to dress up like his fantasy football money changing hands team that week: trash. It was a punishment decided at school.” upon by Sheridan and the other members of his fanAlthough the tasy football league before the week began and was school condemns gammeant to be given to the owner of whichever team bling as a whole, it has scored the fewest points that week. passively supported Fantasy football is an online statistical game in sports gambling in the which players in the same league compete against past through its open one another by managing the real National Football endorsement of students League players who are on their team. Most leagues filling out March Madfunction with weekly matchups in which whoever’s ness brackets, an activteam scores more points wins. ity heavily associated with Sheridan is just one of many students who have gambling. been forced to wear ridiculous and silly outfits to Despite the lightschool as punishment for coming in last place in hearted attitude many their fantasy football leagues for the week. fantasy football players nathanson s
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have towards the weekly punishments and all the trash talk involved, there are valid concerns about going too far. “When you see kids starting to humiliate each other as a form of entertainment, that’s crossing the line,” Olson said. “Wearing a rival jersey is one thing, but publicly humiliating someone is another.” But potential bullying or harassment isn’t the only issue with students playing fantasy football. In fact, perhaps the largest cause for worry is how time consuming it is. “It definitely makes Sundays more stressful, especially if you are in a close game,” Nick Witham ’17 said. “I probably spent a lot more time this year watching football on Sundays than I did last year when I wasn’t in a league.” Fantasy football is an activity that entices players and students to constantly check their lineups or acquire new players for their teams, which can lead to many distracted hours. While it’s clear that fantasy football can be a distraction for students and presents several other potential problems at school, there’s no denying that it has also brought the Harvard-Westlake community closer than it would have been otherwise. “Sports provides a common ground for people to talk about something that’s vicarious and [that] lets them get involved in something other than themselves,” Olson said.
WHEN YOU SEE KIDS STARTING TO HUMILIATE EACH OTHER AS A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT, THAT’S CROSSING THE LINE.” -ERIC OLSON
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BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 19
IN GOOD HEALTH Nutritious eating is essential to everyone, but athletes can suffer the most from an unhealthy diet. By focusing on nutricious foods and limiting those that are harmful, athletes are able to perform at their best. BY JULIANA BERGER
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roper nutrition is important “In the old days, a lot of it was for everyone, but it is even just making sure that you’re eatmore significant for athletes. ing and getting calories, and there With energy being spent in count- wasn’t too much concern [about] less hours of practice, it is essential what those calories looked like,” that athletes eat properly. Koolsbergen said. But what does it The carbohydrates mean to eat properly? that provide proper enWhen scientists ergy do not come from first started thinking rice or white bread. about sports nutrition, These are empty carbs. their biggest focus was It‘s the complex caron the benefits of carbohydrates found in bohydrates, leading to fruits, vegetables, beans the concept of “Carboand unprocessed whole Loading,” in which grains that are essential. ’ athletes were recomAnd athletes, especially Haunani mended to eat massive endurance athletes, Bautista ’17 amounts of carbohyshould consume more drates before a compecarbohydrates than the tition, Track and Field and Cross average teenager, pharmaceutiCountry Program Head Jonas cal doctor Stan Reents said in his Koolsbergen ’83 said. article “Why Sports Nutrition is This practice was particularly Different.” This is because carboaimed towards endurance sports hydrates are sources of short-term like cross country. energy and are constantly being nathanson s
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I TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM ALL OF THE FRIED OR GREASY FOOD BECAUSE IT TENDS TO MAKE ME FEEL SLUGGISH.” -PHILIP THOMPSON ’16
20 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
NATHANSON’S
used up during exercise. it is best for them to drink in accorAnd while carbohydrates are dance with the amount they sweat, still a significant part of any ath- Reents said. lete’s diet, later research indicated Coaches encourage their aththat the emphasis should be placed letes to eat well in order for them on protein and that different sports to perform at their best and avoid require different styles of diets, Re- burning out during practices and ents said. This is the sports nutri- competitions. They want their athtion practiced today. letes to make healthy For instance, atheating a priority and to letes in sports that not skip meals. do a lot of lifting and “It starts with the strength training may basic notion of eating need to eat more prohealthy and making tein, lean meats, eggs smart choices, and we and nuts because they try to give them some need to rebuild the guidance of what those muscle tissue broken smart choices should ’ down during weight look like,” Koolsbergen Jonas training in order to al- Koolsbergen ’83 said. “But it really starts low their bodies to rewith eating clean, eating cover and to reap the full benefits things that are whole, eating less of their work. And simple carbo- junk food, eating less processed hydrates like glucose are necessary foods.” during athletic activity because Regardless of their sport, many they can be burned for their energy athletes have similar ideas on what quickly and easily, Reents said. they need to eat to keep their bodProper hydration is also signif- ies properly fed and energized as icant; athletes need to constantly well as what they need to avoid. replenish the water they are losing “I try to stay away from all of from sweat. the fried or greasy food because The rule used to be that ath- it tends to make me feel sluggish letes who perspire a lot, particular- and doesn’t really have a whole ly endurance athletes and football lot of value as far as nutrients go,” players, should drink as much as football and lacrosse player Philip possible. Thompson ’16 said. But over-hydrating is a prob“I tend to eat a little less and lem, too. Athletes began to de- pay more attention to what I am velop hyponatremia, a condition putting into my body during the caused by a dangerous decrease in competition season,” swimmer the body’s salt concentration from Haunani Bautista ’17 said. “I try to consuming excess water. While ignore all my cravings for sweets there are general rules athletes can and anything that would be categofollow when it comes to hydration, rized as unhealthy.” nathanson s
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Since I eat less and my intake of sugar is significantly less, I lose some weight and feel lighter in the water. Plus, mentally I feel healthier, which helps put me in the mindset [to] perform better —Haunani Bautista ’17
Proper nutrition allows athletes to perform their best without wearing out quickly or destroying their bodies. But the specifics of what nutrition can help with can vary between athletes depending on how their bodies function and how it reacts to various foods and exercises. “I tend to cramp a lot, so if I don’t take care of my body by eating food with the nutrients I need and hydrating I will end up cramping,” Thompson said. “That means time that I have to spend off the field, not helping my team, so it is really important that I eat the right things and take care of my body.” Different sports may have distinct motivations and advantages for eating properly, but good nutrition is necessary for all types of athletes to keep their bodies in shape to compete and to keep themselves from wearing out due to lack of energy. “Since I eat less and my intake of sugar is significantly less, I lose some weight and feel lighter in the water,” Bautista said. “Plus, mentally I feel healthier, which helps put me in the mindset [to] perform better.” Proper nutrition is different for each athlete, depending on all factors from his or her sport to his or her height, weight and the efficiency of his or her metabolism. But through all of these variables, it is essential that each athlete is able to find a diet that balances his or her nutritional needs to ensure he or she has the energy to perform at his or her best.
Water to keep sodium levels balanced
Protein for muscle growth
Complex carbohydrates to give energy for endurance exercise
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIANA BERGER
BIG WINTER 2015-16 • 21
CARINA MARX/BIG RED
GIRLS’ SOCCER
EYE BALL Paige Howard ’17 sprints down the field in the Wolverines’ 3-2 season opening victory against Newbury Park Dec. 2.
BY CARINA MARX AND EMILY RAHHAL
F
rom the girls’ varsity soccer sidelines, Head Coach Richard Simms is constantly repeating, “Next play, next play, next play.” It’s that focus on possible future successes, instead of past failures, that keeps the inspiration high and the players driven no matter what happens. Coming off of last year’s undefeated season, girls’ varsity soccer will use this motivation to create a good reputation and work ethic on and off the field, emphasizing character development throughout the season. “Our program is about hard work, being tough and not making excuses,” Simms said. “We will run hard on offense, chase hard on defense and bring it every day.” With multiple new freshmen on the team this season, many will be expected to perform early in the
22 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
season, Simms said. The first goal of the season was scored not by an experienced senior, but by freshman starter Annabelle Heisel ’19. Goalie Lindsay Avant ’17 credits much of the freshman success to the fact that a large portion of them play club together, which not only strengthens and further refines their skills outside of weekly in-school practices, but also strengthens their bond and connection when on the field. “Both the new freshman and the returning players are really good with possession [of the ball],” forward Paige Howard ’17 said. “We definitely need to work on going forward and at the goal because we have a great offense, but we just need to find that connection.” In the preseason, the Wolverines matched up against Oaks Christian, a historically exciting matchup on Dec. 8, seeking re-
venge for their 1-0 loss to the squad last season. The Wolverines won 1-0 this season. “They’ve always been our rivals
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and they beat us last year, but this year we played them at home, so it was a revenge match,” Howard said. “We were really excited by that.”
WE NEED TO WORK ON GOING FORWARD AND AT THE GOAL BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT OFFENSE, BUT WE JUST NEED TO FIND THAT CONNECTION. NATHANSON’S
-PAIGE HOWARD
Paige Howard ’17
CAMERON STINE/BIG RED
ON THE RUN Freshman midfielder Alec Katz ’19 receives a pass in the Wolverines’ 2-0 season opening Dec. 4 loss against Pali High.
BOYS’ SOCCER
BY CONNOR REESE
F
ollowing the graduation of both starting senior center backs Cole Fletcher ’15 and Parker Converse ’15, Ethan Blaser ’17 has shifted from his normal position as a defensive center midfielder to a center back for the boys’ soccer team. As a three-year varsity player, Blaser has been exposed to many forms of effective leadership. He looked up to center backs Fletcher and Converse, and hoped to emulate their successful partnership. “I’ve seen the situations, and the more situations I see, the better I’ll get,” Blaser said, “Cole and Parker, they were two of the best center backs we ever had. Parker is a bigger, stronger and more technical player, while Cole was more athletic and better in the air. They were able to complement each other and their complementary relationship is something I look to build this year.” Blaser believes that his time
playing center back for his club team will help him adapt to his new role this year. Blaser explained that center back is a position where one must both be technically sound with their feet and mind. “As a center back, you have to know the game more than anyone else on the field,” Blaser said, “You have to be able to adapt to any situation. The more situations you see, the more likely you’ll be able to cope with them.” Moving to center back adds a new role for Blaser as a leader of the team. “Your role as center back is also to lead your teammates in many situations and that’s very important,” Blaser said, “The games I’ve played center back for my club team have been vital for gaining experience at the position and have served as good learning experiences.” Team chemistry is an integral part of many successful soccer teams. Blaser thought that the time
the team was together at their annual retreat was especially important. “Everybody on the team respects each other,” Blaser said, “That is very important. The retreat was the best opportunity as a team to really bond and grow chemistry and get to know and understand each other’s tendencies. I think the closer you are off the pitch, the closer you are on it.” Not only was the retreat good for team bonding, but it allowed for the team to develop an identity as well. Blaser doesn’t think that you should analyze one center back’s play. Instead, he believes that the center backs should be evaluated as a pair and should be tested on how they work together in game situations. “I idolize the partnership between [Nemanja] Vidić and [Rio] Ferdinand of Manchester united and between [Gerard] Piqué and
[Carles] Puyol of [FC] Barcelona. Each player complements each other perfectly,” Blaser said. Despite shifting from his normal position as a defensive holding midfielder, Blaser believes the midfield will mesh well without his presence. “If all goes to plan, I’ll play center back the whole year,” Blaser said, “Maybe if we’re down in a game where we have to rotate personel, I may have to move to a more attacking position. I hold all my trust in our center midfielders that we have already.” Blaser looks forward to the upcoming season. “I’m really looking forward to getting out there onto the pitch,” Blaser said, “We got a great group of guys [and] we have a good mixture of youth and experience. We’re looking to build on our great season from last year and hopefully make a nice playoff run and do better than we did last year.”
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 23
WINTER 2015-16
Into new depths BY JULIANA BERGER AND BRYANT WU
T JULIANA BERGER/BIG RED
BENNETT GROSS/BIG RED
SPLASH SISTERS Camille Oswald ’17 (top) blocks a shot and Helene Miles ’16 (bottom) takes a shot for the girls’ varsity water polo team. The Wolverines finished 12-0 in league play last season.
24 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
he girls’ water polo team has more players this season than ever before. However, despite its newfound depth, many of the old starters are out with injuries, leaving younger players to take a greater role on the team. Two starters, Camille Oswald ’17 and Helene Miles ’16, are currently sitting out with a shoulder and neck injury respectively. Despite this, the team has had a strong start to the season, winning its season opener 14-6 against Oaks Christian and winning the first two matches of the Mistletoe Classic Tournament 12-1 and 9-5 against Granada Hills and Pacifica High School. “We won, which I think put us in a great position for our first game,” Daily Hartmeier ’16 said. “Playing so well our first game with two starters injured really helped give us a good outlook on the year and believe that we can go super far this season. We also always get so much better towards the end of season, so it’s great to see how much we will improve from where we already are.” This year, the team has also fixed a major issue that has troubled them in years past: depth. “I think our biggest challenge has always been not having enough players, but we have a huge bench this year, so we’ve definitely solved that,” Hartmeier said. “Instead, I think that the injury of some of our starters will be a huge adjustment. Because of this, I think a lot of younger players are going to have to step up more in games.” One player who is expected to make big plays this year is Pria Pant ’18, who started her freshman season and is predicted to make an impact this year to make up for the missing players. “Since some of the starting players are injured I think we will all have to step up,come together and try to compete to the best of our ability,” Pant said. “I think we may also have to get out of some of our regular positions and take use of all the opportunities we have.” Another potential star is Taylor LaCour ’19. According to Hartmeier, LaCour has been playing water polo for a few years, and already has star potential.
CAMERON STINE/BIG RED
CROWD GOES WILD The Fanatics erupt after small forward Cassius Stanley ’19 dunks against Heritage Christian Dec. 4, a 76-59 win for the home team.
GUEST COLUMN: BY GABE GOLOB
A letter to the Wolverine faithful
I
still remember watching my first high school basketball game at Harvard-Westlake like it was yesterday. To add to the hype, the game was against Loyola, and I was as excited and pumped up as ever. I had been reading all of the posts in the “Harvard-Westlake Fanatics 2010-2011” Facebook page leading up to the game and couldn’t wait to see what the atmosphere at a game was actually like. Our crowd was so big that day that the fire marshall came and had to kick people out of the gym. It was hot and clammy, and I had sweat dripping down my face, but it was an experience that I will never forget. Fast forward to this year; I am now a senior and a Head Fanatic, a dream come true. It’s now my opportunity to light the same fire in other students, young and old, that was ignited inside of me years ago at that Loyola game. The Fanatics this year have been incredible thus far,
bringing over 200 kids to a volleyball game and truly making Taper Gymnasium a tough place for op-
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and relaxing than spending a couple hours at a game with friends screaming for your peers on the
BEING A FANATIC REPRESENTS CAMRADERIE AND COMPANIONSHIP THAT STUDENTS HERE ARE ALL ABOUT.” -GABE GOLOB
posing teams to play in. Some may ask why they should go to a game when they have so much work and stress. My answer to those students is that there is nothing more fun
NATHANSON’S
court. Whether it’s a simple “Harvard-West-lake” chant or an insinuating “take his whistle” jeer from the mass of red in the stands, being a Fanatic represents camaraderie and companionship that students
here are all about. For those concerned that their lack of sports knowledge would be a hindrance to their experience as a spectator, think again. All anyone has to do is dawn a red fanatics shirt (feel free to see me if you don’t have one already), get ready to make some noise and enjoy the hour or two surrounded by friends on the sideline of Taper. Like the Seahawks’ 12th man, I believe the Fanatics function as a sixth man of sorts for the basketball team. Ask any one of our varsity players and they would affirm how much harder it is to sink a free throw with hundreds of students harassing the shooter from just a few feet away. So, in addition to having a great time and blowing off some steam, showing up for the Fanatics section is a monumental way to support fellow students that work so hard to perform on the court, field or pool. See you at the game!
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 25
Wolverine roundtable
Members of the Big Red staff give their take on key issues in current Wolverine sports.
Q: Which team will surprise the most this season? Seymour:
Though the girls’ soccer team lost a stacked senior class to graduation, it is on track to go even further this season than it did last year. Goalie Lindsey Avant ’17, who only let in 15 goals last season, has a year of experience under her belt, and the team has multiple skilled senior scorers, including Montana Reilly ’16 and Courtney Gazmarian ’16, as well as a strong group of younger girls with the talent to make an impact.
Vogel: While the boys’ basketball team has been making waves this offseason with a new coach and phenom freshman, the girls’ team has quietly put together a roster with potential to make a deep CIF run. The girls recently defeated nationally ranked Windward, and many key pieces of last year’s playoff team are returning for another season. Look for Lindsey Tse ’16 to run the team as the senior guard.
PAVAN TAUH/BIG RED
POWER THROUGH Jayla Ruffus-Milner ’18 attempts to drive past three Hart defenders after grabbing a defensive rebound in the Wolverines’ 67-24 victory over the Indians.
Q: Who do you predict to be the Most Valuable Player of the winter season? Liker:
Ninth graders aren’t supposed to be MVPs, but they aren’t supposed to dunk, either. Cassius Stanley ’19 was already generating buzz when he showed up on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays just days before it was revealed that he would be a Wolverine, enough buzz to get him offers from the University of California Los Angeles and the University of Southern California even though he had never played a high school game. This year could be a springboard for what could be an illustrious career for Stanley, and a golden age for Wolverine basketball.
Gross: Senior Ryan Ruiz ’16 has been a varsity wrestler for all four
years of his Wolverine career and is looking to improve on last year. In 2014-15, the squad lost all four of its league matchups to Chaminade, Alemany, Bishop Amat and Crespi. This season, under the leadership of Ruiz, the team will attempt to get revenge on those four rivals. Despite the losses of Josh Musicant ’17 and Jake Adler ’17, the team expects to revive the success that it had two season ago. As a freshman, Ruiz finished in third place in the Mission League, and then during his sophomore season, Ruiz was the runner-up in the league.
Rahhal: As the second leading returning scorer from last season,
CAMERON STINE/BIG RED
DRIVING THE LANE Wolfgang Novogratz ’16 dribbles past Heritage Christian’s Najeem Nawabi ’17 in the Wolverines’ 76-59 on Dec. 4.
26 • BIG RED WINTER 2015-16
Lindsay Tse ’16 will look to lead the team back to the state semifinals. Tse averaged 8.9 points per game last year, along with 3.2 rebounds per game and 3.1 assists per game. She will attempt to lead the team to a winning record in the rigorous Mission League, after finishing last season’s league slate with a record of 4-4. The squad has begun its season favorably thus far, defeating nationally ranked Windward 63-60 at home in its first game of the year. This winter break, the Wolverines will travel to Duncanville, Texas, for the Sandra Meadows Classic.
Assi
Jake Liker Dario Madyoon Cameron Stine Joe Levin Juliana Berger Carina Marx Connor Reese Liz Yount Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Junior Writer
Bennett Gross Jonathan Seymour Henry Vogel Zac Harleston Rian Ratnavale Bryant Wu Emily Rahhal Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Assistant Editor
PATRICK RYAN/BIG RED
Q: Which squad has improved the most since last year?
Q: Which newcomer will have the biggest impact on his or her team this season?
Madyoon: The boys’ basketall team has the obvious addition of Ratnavale: Although he’s not technically new to the boys’ soccer
Marx: The girls’ soccer team will improve the most from last season
team, center-forward Andrew Vanderschans ’16 should provide a spark to for the Wolverines this year, as he returns from two ACL injuries. This season will mark Vanderschans’ first game action as a member of the boys’ varsity soccer team, and the team is hoping to reap the rewards of his speed, and convert that ball movement prowess into better scoring opportunities. Vanderschans is sure to be a catalyst for increased success on the pitch this season.
Stine:
watch because even though she started last year, she never seemed to be able to really showcase her skills, but always seemed to have a lot of potential. This year, she will be able to get more playing time and really showcase her skills. Especially with the injuries of this year’s projected starters, Pant will be a force on the varsity squad and a big scorer.
freshman phenom Cassius Stanley ’19, but it also has the leadership it needs from experienced upperclassmen Wolfgang Novogratz ’16, Ali Iken ’17 and Carter Begel ’17. With a mix of new talent and experienced leadership, this year’s squad has a good chance to do something that it hasn’t done in a long time: win CIF.
because of the large changes being made to the program. Head Coach Richard Simms is introducing a dual roster in which most players will play for both JV and varsity. He hopes to create a stronger, more effective bond that will translate onto the field for smoother communication. Positions are also being renamed to streamline play execution. The boys’ soccer team lost by three goals to Palisades High School and by two goals to Agoura High School, but that was without Jadon Yariv ’16 playing. Overall, the team is very fast with players like Jon Nelson ’16, Jonah Carloss ’16 and Max Rolnick ’16. Against Palisades, the Wolverines maintained the pressure, keeping the ball on the Palisades side almost the entire time. The Wolverines kept putting pressure on the goalie, forcing him to make multiple saves. With Yariv back, the boys’ soccer team is sure to go far this season.
Wu: Pria Pant ’18 will be a newcomer on the girls’ water polo team to
Reese:
Newcomer Cassius Stanley ’19 will bring a whole new dynamic to an already strong Wolverine basketball team. Rated the third best basketball freshman player nationally by future150.com, Cassius is a huge addition to the Wolverine backcourt. In one of his first high school games, Cassius scored 27 points against a strong Calabasas team. Stanley impresses with his explosive play.
BIG RED WINTER 2015-16 • 27