BIG RED OCTOBER 2013 • VOLUME 9 • NO.1 • HOMECOMING EDITION
A New Day
Football quarterback Marshal Cohen ’16 heads a pack of new faces that have led fall teams to victory this year and hope to continue doing so at Homecoming. pgs. 16-17
Duncan Froomer pgs. 20-21
Zoe Baxter pgs.18-19
thePlaybook Eric Loeb:
Defensive Coordinator 10-11
BIG RED OCTOBER 2013 • VOLUME 9 • NO.1
Coach Branden Jones has provided energy for the Wolverine defense in the team’s undefeated start.
Big Red Staff: Roundtable 12-13 The Big Red Staff weighs in what Fanatics can expect on Homecoming 2013.
Eric Loeb: Football Preview 14-15 Keys to the game and an inside look of the team’s matchup with Palisades Charter High School.
Sam Sachs: Marshal Cohen 16-17 New quarterback Marshal Cohen has led the Wolverine football team to an undefeated start. Elijah Akhtarzad: Volleyball Preview
18-19
Keys to the game against Lakewood and a profile of new starter Zoe Baxter ’16.
Mila Barzdukas:
Waterpolo Preview 20-21
Keys to the game against Long Beach Wilson and a profile of LHA Duncan Froomer ’16.
Grant Nussbaum:
Jason Kelly 22
Q&A with the new Athletic Director for Communications Jason Kelly.
Eric Loeb: Reach for the Stars 23 A column about Eric’s experience with taking a gamble and trying out for varsity basketball.
Jordan Garfinkel:
Kirk Woo 24-25
This hockey player has ice in his viens. He was raised by a family of hockey fans, so playing the sport was an obvious choice.
Tyler Graham:
Trash Talk 26-27
Coaches and players weigh in on smack talk in games.
theStaff editor-in-chief Grant Nussbaum
adviser Kathleen Neumeyer
managing editors Eric Loeb, Lucy Putnam, Sam Sachs
presentations editor Jacob Goodman
associate editors Elijah Akhtarzad, Mila Barzdukas, Jordan Garfinkel, Tyler Graham, Audrey Wilson
2 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
staff Jack Goldfisher, Caitlin Neapole, Patrick Ryan, Noa Yadidi
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: Key players at Homecoming will be three sophomores, quarterback Marshal Cohen ’16, volleyball outside hitter Zoe Baxter ’16, and water polo player attacker Duncan Froomer ’16.
Cover Photos by Caitlin Neapole
LEADING THE RIOT
Meet your 2013 Head Fanatics. Look for them at any sporting event wearing their shirts and cheering loudly for Wolverine victory.
SAM SACHS/BIG RED
JONATHAN FELKER ’14 JORDAN GUTIERREZ ‘14 BAKARI BOLDEN ‘14 CONNOR KALANTARI ‘14 Felker set the school record in the high jump last year as a member of the varsity track and field team.
Gutierrez is a varsity track and field athlete. He is also in the school musical, “Hairspray”.
Bolden stars on the varsity golf team. He commited to USC last year.
Kalantari is on the varsity wrestling team. He, along with Felker, traveled to Torrance to root on the Wolverine basketball team.
JACK TEMKO ’14 Temko won Mission League Player of the Year in lacrosse last season, starts at cornerback for the football team, and plays club soccer.
popCULTURE Wolverine Athlete
Miley Cyrus is...?
Favorite sports movie?
Pregame snack?
Song on repeat?
A HOT MESS
THE LONGEST YARD
TURKEY AVOCADO SANDWICH
COCO BUTTER KISSES - CHANCE THE RAPPER
DAVEY HARTMEIER ’14 Football
ABSURD
WE ARE MARSHALL
UNCRUSTABLES PB&J
AMARILLO SKY JASON ALDEAN
MADDY ABRAHAMS ’14 Golf
DESPERATE
MIRACLE ON ICE
APPLES WITH PEANUT BUTTER
LATCH DISCLOSURE
LONELY
FIELD OF DREAMS OR THE NATURAL
QUESADILLA, PB&J, 4OZ. MILK
I WILL REMAIN MATTHEW AND THE ATLAS
KAYLA DILLARD ’15 Volleyball
BEN GREENE’14 Cross Country
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 3
SWEET VICTORY The Wolverine football team celebrates their season opening victory over out of league rival Loyola on Aug. 30 with a ceremonial gatorade bath and by storming Ted Slavin field. Photograph by JACK GOLDFISHER
DIVING IN
Julian Shabahang ’14 leaps into the end zone to score a touchdown against North Hollywood on Sept. 6. Shabahang recorded five touchdowns in his first four games of the season. Photograph by JACK GOLDFISHER
SLAPSTICK
Maddie Oswald ’15 steals the ball away from a Newport Harbor midfielder in a non-league game on Sept. 19. The Wolverines have recorded four shutouts in their first six games. Photograph by GRANT NUSSBAUM
Inside the Huddle Defensive Assistant Branden Jones’ energy in the huddle and playcalling have helped the Wolverines’ defense improve as the team heads into their Homecoming game 4-0.
D
BY ERIC LOEB
uring a Wolverine football game, attentive fans will notice after almost any big play that one of the team’s coaches is far more excited than most. Assistant coach Branden Jones can be seen running up and down the sidelines, pumping up players and even signaling to the Fanatics to get louder. Jones, the team’s defensive coordinator, is responsible for calling the plays for the defense. Defensive players simultaneously search for Jones on the sidelines between plays for a new hand signals, similar to the way offensive players seek
Head Coach Scot Ruggles signs for offensive directions. Jones says he is very proud of his work. “It’s awesome,” Jones said. “Having to go through a whole week game-planning and getting ready to see what the other teams are going to do and how we are going to stop it.” Although the Jones’ defense has yet to allow less than 14 points in a game, players and coaches say their distinct type of defense, the stack, as they call it, has been vital in the team’s success so far this season. After leaving St. Monica’s MIXED SIGNALS Defensive Coordinator Branden Jones signals in a play to his defense in the teams victory over North Hollywood on Sept. 6.
coaching staff to join that of Harvard-Westlake two summers ago, Jones and Ruggles set out to create the perfect defense for the Wolverine athlete. “I never ran a stack defense until I started working with Coach Ruggles,” Jones said. “He ran it previously and introduced me to it and we’ve gone from there. We combined his touch and my touch into a great defense.” The average Wolverine football player, which Jones describes as smaller but more athletic, have a clear disadvantage on the defensive line. “We are smaller, more athletic
“
kids,” Jones said. “We don’t have the big bulky guys who can line up against the big bulky guys in front, so we stand up all 11 players to use our athleticism and speed.” Standing up all 11 defensive players means that the defensive linemen do not enter a three point stance before each play, allowing them greater lateral speed, an advantage needed when severely undersized. According to Ruggles, the goal of the defense is to stop big plays, but its no secret that a spread, fast paced offense causes stress not only for opponents, but also for the Wolverine defense. If the Wolver-
WE ALL RESPECT HIM AND LOVE HOW HE GETS PUMPED UP ON THE SIDELINES. -JACK TEMKO
SAM SACHS/BIG RED
10 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
NATHANSON’S
HUDDLE UP Defensive captain Desmond Butler ’15 gathers the Wolverine defense before the snap during an Aug. 23 scrimmage against St. Monica. SAM SACHS/BIG RED
ines’ very fast-paced offense takes the field and is stopped by its opponent, their defense must return to the field more quickly than they would if playing in combination with a normal offense. With multiple players playing both offense and defense this season, players say that shutting opponents down as quickly as possible is paramount for the success of the team over the 60 minutes a game lasts. As a result, the defense’s ability to force turnovers and ability to stay one step ahead of an offense are keys to Jones’ playcalling.
“Defense is very reactive to what an offense does,” Jones said. “They know exactly what they are going to do and it’s all up to just to adjust on the fly. It’s always keeping us on our toes and it’s awesome. If we can get the ball back to our electric offense, we’ll win ballgames.” Another way Jones keeps not only the defense but the entire team involved throughout a game is through his energy. Players say seeing Jones run up and down the sidelines, banging helmets and pumping up the fanatics increases the team’s moral.
“We all respect him and love how he gets pumped up on the sidelines,” cornerback Jack Temko ’14 said. “The spirit he provides us with helps us stay energized all game long.” Jones says pumping up his team is not something he does intentionally. “I just, I can’t contain it,” Jones said. “Football is the most exciting thing in the world and on game day it’s just natural to get excited after big plays. There’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t script it. it just comes out.” So far this season, the plays
Jones has called and the energy he has provided have contributed mightily to the Wolverine’s 4-0 record, and Ruggles has been pleased with his defenses success. “The Defense has done a great job,” he said. “Hopefully it will keep improving as the season goes on and we start to face Mission League opponents.” Players say the team’s Homecoming matchup against Palisades Charter High School will a good test for Jones’ playcalling and the defense before facing its first Mission League opponent in Serra at home on Friday, Oct. 11.
BY THE NUMBERS: COACH JONES’ DEFENSE
Sacks
16
Interceptions Tackles for loss
4
31
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 11
Wolverine roundtable
Members of the Big Red staff give their take on key issues in current Wolverine sports.
Q: Which athlete will be the MVP of Homecoming? Nussbaum: Setter Nicole Elattrache ‘14 has carried the girls’
volleyball team all season. As one of only two people playing her position, Nicole not only contributes to the team with her sets but she also has fantastic defense, serving and blocking. The multiple skills she brings to the table allow her to play all six rotations. The volleyball team is scheduled to play Lakewood for Homecoming, and a win against the Lancers would be a huge upset.
Loeb: I believe that Marshal Cohen ’16 will continue his early
season success and be the MVP of Homecoming, leading his team to a victory over Palisades Charter High School. The firstyear student will look to add to his already impressive season highlighted by a victory against rival Loyola. Cohen also had a four-touchdown game against Sylmar, a game that was featured as Time Warner Cable’s “Game of the Week,” so he’s no stranger to pressure. When the Wolverine football team wins on Saturday, Cohen’s leadership will certainly be Homecoming MVP worthy.
Wilson: Concurring with Eric, I agree that the most valuable
player performance will be found in the football game against Palisades, but I believe the MVP performance will come from Garrett Robinson rather than Marshal Cohen. Averaging a colossal 124 rushing yards per game (496 yards through four games) with six touchdowns, Robinson has been masterful in finding the seams on the ground this year. No team’s defense has been able to hold him down, and it looks like Palisades is headed for the same fate. And if Robinson can establish a solid running attack at Homecoming, that should apply huge pressure to the Dolphins and make them vulnerable to other offensive options, be it Cohen’s quick feet or Julian Shabahang’s hands.
Q: What’s the biggest storyline of Homecoming 2013? Barzdukas: Without a doubt, the football program has
UNSTOPPABLE Running back Garrett Robinson ’15 gains yardage in the football team’s 49-14 win against North Hollywood. Robinson leads the team in all-purpose yards with 135.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Forward Maddie Oswald ’15 encounters a defender against Newport. The field hockey team will not play at Homecoming for the first time in several years in 2013. GRANT NUSSBAUM/BIG RED
12 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
surprised everyone with their 4-0 start despite suffering from a smaller roster. David Hartmeier ’14, Garrett Robinson ’15, and Cohen are leading the way to the best start in Wolverine football history. A win against Palisades Charter could mean big things for the program and their record.
Nussbaum: For me, the biggest Homecoming storyline – or perhaps lack thereof – is the ominous absence of the field hockey team on Oct. 5. It’s surprising and fairly disappointing that we won’t see the team, which has competed often at previous Homecomings, on such a grand stage, especially after the Wolverines’ dominant, undefeated start to the season. Rumor has it that the team they were supposed to play backed out of the game – I suppose that speaks to just how dominant the Wolverines have been this year. Putnam: Water polo’s impressive start has to be the storyline
going into Homecoming. Normally when a team is made up of mainly young players, it takes some time for it to get in the swing of things. The fact that water polo is off to such a hot start is very telling as to how the team will fare at Homecoming and for the rest of the season. Going up against highly-ranked Long Beach Wilson, an unstoppable force will meet an immovable object on Oct. 5, resulting in a fantastic matchup for the fans.
PHOTOS BY LIZZY THOMAS/BIG RED
Audrey Wilson Lucy Putnam Mila Barzdukas Associate Editor Managing Editor Associate Editor
Eric Loeb Grant Nussbaum Sam Sachs Managing Editor Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor
Q: What has been the best moment of fall sports heading into Homecoming?
TIKI TAKA Ben Hallock ’16 hurls the ball back to center in boys’ water polo’s 14-11 Homecoming game victory against Murrietta Valley last year.
Loeb: When the football team defeated Loyola for the first time
in school history and the Fanatics stormed the field, I stood in awe of the spectacle and the surreal feeling after losing to the team last year. The spirit emanating from both the players and the fans was contagious and like nothing I had ever experienced before. That moment made me incredibly proud to be a Wolverine, not to mention it started the football team off on a high note that would allow it to go 4-0 to start the season, and so that moment is my selection for best moment so far.
Nussbaum: As both fans and sportswriters, we’ve witnessed
a lot of “redemption” storylines this season, even only a month or so in. Football defeating Loyola, as Eric mentioned, was one of the most celebrated and perhaps most memorable victories throughout 2013 Wolverine sports. Field hockey overcoming Huntington Beach, to whom the team lost in last year’s State Championship game, also proved to be an emotional and vindicating victory. For the best moment, however, I’d have to go with girls’ volleyball’s victory over defending State Champions Marymount. The feeling in the gym was absolutely electric and proved to be an overwhelming secondary force in combination with the volleyball team’s high level of play. Everything was simply clicking that night for the Wolverine volleyball team, making for the an amazing moment at the start of the year.
LUKE HOLTHOUSE/BIG RED
Q: What fall team do you see having the most success following Homecoming weekend? Barzdukas: This season is shaping up to be one of the more success-
ful fall seasons in recent memory, but I think the boys’ water polo team has the best chance to win a CIF title. The team is young, but they have the determination and the drive to win which has put them at the top of most CIF polls and contributed to their currently undefeated season. They have been contending with five-time defending CIF champ Mater Dei all season, and this is their year to kick the powerhouse out of the pool.
Sachs: The girls’ golf team is undefeated so far this season and Kate
Kushi ’14 has yet to play. Kushi has missed every match so far this season. However the team is undefeated in large part due to the play of captain Maddy Abrahams ’14. With Kushi returning the team will be at full strength and should be able to keep up the momentum they established early in the season.
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 13
HOME OF THE
WOLVERINES INSIDE HOMECOMING 2013
14 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL vs. Palisades
7 p.m. at Ted Slavin Field
JACK GOLDFISHER/BIG RED
Off to one of its best starts in team history under second-year head coach Scot Ruggles, the football team hopes to extend its undefeated record to 5-0 against Palisades Charter High School and make up for its 37-27 Homecoming loss to Cathedral last year. The Wolverines also enter Homecoming coming off one of their highest scoring performances in school history with a 65-24 win against Sylmar, a game in which they scored nine touchdowns and one safety.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS QB M C Offense arshal ohen
RB Garrett Robinson LT Patrick Ryan LG Eric Bradley C David Hartmeier RG Ben Goldstein RT Ben Klein WR Julian Shabahang WR Teddy King WR Hassan Smith WR Jack Temko
ERIC LOEB’S
KEYS TO VICTORY
>> Win the turnover battle
The Wolverines will need to win the turnover battle to give their short-staffed defense time to rest, and to keep their efficient, fast-paced offense on the field.
>> No slow starts
The Wolverines began their last game against Sylmar with a fumble, allowing the Spartans to take a 7-0 lead with only a little under 10 minutes left in the first quarter. As competition gets better, the team will need to eliminate slow starts.
Defense
DE Jeremy Tepper DT Noah Pompan DE Anthony Ulloa LB Andrew Park LB Desmond Butler LB Albert Choi SS Mike Mapes SS Carter Begel CB Alex Barnum CB Phil Smith FS Chase Aldridge
PHOTOS BY JACK GOLDFISHER/BIG RED
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 15
INSIDE FOOTBALL
THINKING ON YOUR FEET Quarterback Marshal Cohen ’16 scrambles in the football team’s 4914 win against North Hollywood.
JACK GOLDFISHER/CHRONICLE
16 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
TAKING THE REINS Kickoff approaches and his nerves begin to settle. Sophomore quarterback Marshal Cohen is about to start his first varsity football game, his first game as a Wolverine, his first game against the rival Loyola Cubs. Revenge was on the minds of many Wolverine football players as they mulled over last year’s 42-27 loss. The Wolverines led the Cubs at halftime during last year’s matchup, but could not hold on. They were outmanned and overmatched and the expectation was that they would be outmanned and overmatched again this year. Following the departure of Big Red Male Athlete of the Year Chad Kanoff ’13, who is now playing football at Princeton University, expectations around campus for this year’s edition of the Wolverine football team are low. In his second season as the head coach at Harvard-Westlake, Scot Ruggles sees a lot of new faces at key spots for his football team. The most important new starter is Cohen who Ruggles has put at the helm of his new age spread offense. At the heart of Ruggles’ spread offense is the read option, a play that has become popular throughout all levels of football after seeing teams like the University of Oregon Ducks run it so success-
fully. The spread offense is used to spread the defense out creating larger gaps for running backs and wide receivers to make plays through and isolating defenders in coverage. The read option, or zone option, is a simple running play where the offensive line zone blocks play side and leaves the defensive end unblocked so the quarterback, Cohen, has the responsibility to make a read. Cohen can either hold onto the ball if he sees the end crash down the line of scrimmage, or if the end stays at home he will hand it off to his back. Cohen is arguably more equipped to run the read option centric offense that Ruggles has installed than Kanoff was. “He’s a running threat and it’s nice to have a QB who can run and just go for it” starting offensive lineman Ben Klein ’14 said. “Just going for it” is what Cohen has done so far this season. Drawing praise from the Los Angeles Times’ Eric Sondheimer who called Cohen “the talk of the league” in a Sept. 11 article. “Marshal is definitely a great addition to the squad. He started off great and hopefully he can stay consistent for the rest of the season,” nose tackle Noah Pompan ’14 said. Cohen has totalled 555 yards passing, with only one interception, and 391
BY SAM SACHS
yards rushing over his first four games, adding ten passing touchdowns and six more scores on the ground. “I was nervous. I really wanted to prove myself coming from a smaller division school. I really had big shoes to fill as well, so I was looking forward to getting a chance to prove myself ” Cohen said. Cohen is in his first year at HarvardWestlake after transferring from Brentwood where he led the Eagles’ JV football team to an undefeated season and league championship as a freshman. “We had no expectations. Marshal has done a good job, but has a lot of room for improvement” Ruggles said about the young QB. The Wolverines beat the Cubs this year 27-21. They were still outmanned and again their lack of depth showed as they struggled with cramps in the second half for the second straight year, but Cohen proved to be the difference, making plays with his feet and his arm to put the game away for the Wolverines. “After the first Loyola game I was just so happy to have won the game,” Cohen said. “I think it proved that HW is not to be taken lightly and for me personally it proved that I can play at this level and help lead my team.”
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 17
VOLLEYBALL vs. Lakewood
5:30 p.m. at Taper Gym After defeating the Division I CIF State Champions Marymount in just four sets, the squad will face Lakewood High School on Homecoming at 5:30 p.m. With a hot start to the season and contributions coming from everyone in the rotation, especially from team captain and outside hitter Josephine Kremer ’14, the Wolverines will look to fend off the Lakewood Lancers.
STARTING ROTATION LIBERO: Marielle Bagnard SETTER: Nicole Elattrache OUTSIDE HITTER: Josephine Kremer OUTSIDE HITTER: Zoe Baxter MIDDLE HITTER: Arielle Strom MIDDLE HITTER: Kayla Dillard DEENSIVE SPECIALIST: Mila Barzdukas OPPOSITE HITTER: Mia Natsis
ELIJAH AKHTARZAD’S
KEYS TO VICTORY >>Strong serving: The squad will be able to get a quick lead, which will give them an advantage throughout each set. >>All around defense: The defense of the back row, as well as the blocking from the front row will be essential in shutting down Lakewood’s hitters.
18 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
NEXT IN LINE BY ELIJAH AKHTARZAD
F
or starting outside hitter Zoe Baxter ’16, training competitively for volleyball since she was 12 years old for club teams like SMBC and Sunshine gave her the edge against other athletes playing her position. “It really clicked with me that I wanted to be competitive and play volleyball at a high level,” Baxter said. After being the only freshman on the junior varsity volleyball squad last year, Baxter significantly proved her potential to the program and is now the starting outside hitter for the team. “It’s just a matter of trying to find a place on the team, where other players are two or even three years older than her, that initially made the transition from junior varsity to varsity difficult for Baxter. “I think the hardest part has been the mental aspect because I think that I’m looking in awe of all the senior and juniors and it’s really hard to put yourself in that place,” Baxter said. “Like thinking about it,
do I actually belong here and am I actually part of this team. Getting over that was a very big struggle for me, but by the time school started I was mentality in it and ready to work hard.” Despite being one of the youngest athletes on the team, Baxter has started every match for the Wolverines and is only one of three players who play throughout the entire rotation. Baxter, alongside captains Nicole Elattrache ’14 and Josephine Kremer ’14, are the only athletes that play front row and back row throughout a match, essentially never coming out of the game. “Zoe has a very calming impact on our team,” Kremer said. “She has a much quieter intensity than most of us. Overall, our team has a very fiery personality and Zoe sort of counter balances that, which helps calm us down and keep us focused when it gets hectic.” The Wolverines have gone 1-1 in non-league play as of press time, losing to Santa Barbara and defeating the 2013
division one state champions Marymount. The team starts their Mission League season on Oct. 1 in a home match against Alemany. “It’s really important to warm up before games to get your muscles going, but mentality it takes a whole week to get in that mindset before you have a game,” Baxter said. “It’s important to practice how you would play in a game so that when it comes game time you feel more confident and are ready to go.”
CAITLIN NEAPOLE/BIG RED
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 19
WATER POLO vs. Long Beach Wilson
4 p.m. at Copses Family Pool
Ranked second in Division I, the boys’ water polo squad is off to a 7-1 start, with their only loss coming to Mater Dei, ranked first in Division I. Head Coach Brian Flacks’ team is young,with only two seniors on the squad. The team did gain valuable experience with all six starters returning this season.
MILA BARZDUKAS’ PROJECTED LINEUP KEYS TO VICTORY GK A R nthony idgley
CD Warren Snyder A Johnny Hooper LHA Duncan Froomer C Ben Hallock A Morio Saito
>> Executing on Offense The team will need to execute effectively on offense and finish plays in order to beat Long Beach Wilson. >> Good Goalkeeping The Wolverines will look to ride solid play between the pipes from Anthony Ridgley ’15.
CAITLIN NEAPOLE/BIG RED
20 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
SOUTHPAW BY MILA BARZDUKAS
O
nly about 10 percent of the world population is left-handed, and Duncan Froomer ’16 is in that 10 percent. He plans to use his uniqueness to improve as a player this year. Froomer has always been serious about water polo, and this year he brings a wide variety of skills to the second best team in CIF Division 1. Froomer is the only left hander on the team, which gives him an edge. Most water polo players are right-handed, so opponents do not expect him to shoot with what they assume is his off hand. “Most teams don’t really expect a lefty, and they end up throwing up the wrong hand to block me,” Froomer said. “It’s a much easier way to attack.” Shooting from the right side of the pool is easier too, as Froomer does not need to shoot across his body towards the goal. Froomer is listed on the roster as the left-handed attacker, but Head Coach Brian Flacks ’06 believes Froomer brings more to the game than just his dominant hand. “He has a lot. What he brings to the team skill, tactics, leadership, and work ethic,” Flacks said. “He takes it very seriously and on top of that he does bring a wealth of knowledge and competitiveness that is basically unmatched to the team.” Froomer started playing water polo when he was 11 after watching his brother Langdon Froomer ’12 play during his
high school career. “I saw my brother play against Long Beach Wilson one night and it looked like so much fun. My brother and Davis Wachtell ’16 basically got me to play,” Froomer said. Froomer began developing his skills at a young age, and began playing for a club team under Flacks. Water polo eventually became his favorite activity, and last summer he made the U16 Cadet National team. The team is comprised of the top 24 players in the nation that are 16 and under. As of now, Froomer would like to play in college. Despite his smaller size, Froomer can get away with his size and still be successful, as long as he matches up against smaller players. “I’m always trying to go against a smaller guy, but it’s hard to be physical, so you have to play good position defense,” Froomer said. The varsity team has high hopes to win a CIF championship this year, and Froomer believes the team has a strong chance. After upsetting defending champion Mater Dei over the summer, Froomer thinks getting a ring is possible, as long as the team chemistry stays good and they keep up their championship mentality. “Although we have a pretty young team, we all have this competitive fire to us,” Froomer said. “We’re playing like we’re seniors and this is our last season.”
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 21
THE NEW DOMAIN
Jason Kelly, left, has made himself at home in Taper Gymnasium as the new Wolverine Athletic Director for Communications. Kelly started in July.
GRANT NUSSBAUM/BIG RED
DIRECTING THE ACTION BY GRANT NUSSBAUM
Q: A:
What have your first few months at HarvardWestlake been like?
Q: A:
What has caught your attention most about Harvard Westlake sports so far?
I’m really enjoying it. Harvard-Westlake really suits my competitive personality, and I’m very excited about the outstanding athletes, the outstanding coaches on campus. Obviously the high quality of the athletics program has been a real blessing to be around. It’s really suited me down to the ground.
How seriously everyone takes it. From the coaches to the equipment manager to facilities manager Roberto Hernandez, everyone does a really stellar job, and everyone is really pulling together as a team to make the best experience for the students. That’s what it’s all about – playing on a sports team is really a fantastic part of high school, and the people around here have been doing everything in their power to make it the best experience for the students and the fans as well.
22 • BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013
Athletic Director Jason Kelly discusses his first year at Harvard-Westlake, during which he has implemented the livestream service “HWTVSports” as well as played witness to some of the fall sports teams’ best starts in school history.”
Q: A: Q: A:
What are your thoughts about fall sports teams being off to some of their best starts in school history in your first year? The sports teams have been very successful and that’s made the experience really positive for me. To see the game against Loyola was really incredible, to see the water polo team doing so well against top-ranked teams and also the girls’ volleyball team beating current state champions Marymount was a highlight. Field hockey team’s doing great, tennis is doing great, golf is doing great, so it just goes to show the strength of Harvard-Westlake throughout the program.
What is HWTVSports’s plan for Homecoming? It’ll just be livestreaming the football game, just because at the moment we’re only equipped to do one location. It takes a lot of setup and tear down. We’re aiming to interview the four Hall of Fame inductees. One of the fun parts of the first broadcast was that the students got to interview school administrators, and I think it’ll be fun to continue interviewing people across campus. We’re hoping to do sideline reporting as well.
END GAME: Eric Loeb ’14 walks off the court with teammates and coaches following what might be his final game as Wolverine. LUKE HOLTHOUSE/BIG RED
REACH FOR THE STARS BY ERIC LOEB
T
rying out for a varsity sports team as a senior without any real assurance that I will make it was a challenging decision. Following my second season on the end of the bench for the JV basketball team, I decided that, rather than quitting on the spot and becoming a team manager, I would rather strike out swinging for the fences than simply give up. I told Coach Greg Hilliard my intentions and began to attend basketball practices, weightlifting sessions and games every week, not only during the end of my junior year, but also throughout my entire summer, and now daily in the first semester of senior year, when grades matter the most. Trying out for anything can be daunting, considering the amount of time one has to
dedicate in order to have a chance to achieve whatever it is that he or she desires. This idea became especially clear to me at the end of last year, when I broke my nose at a practice. I felt pressured to attend each team event by my coaches and teammates, while at the same time pressured to study or take time to recover from my injury by my family. I decided that attending every event I could was the best thing I could do, with a goal of reserving my own spot on the team in mind. Despite fully recovering, I still remained on the bench for the most part during summer games, talking strategy and joking around with players and coaches. Memories of that time Derrick Newton ’14 dunked on me during my first practice of sophomore year, the time I passed the ball to the referee in junior year and
the time I fell flat on my face in a dribbling drill last spring spin through my head as I sit, waiting for my opportunity to get in and prove that I deserve a spot. I know in the back of my head that the time and effort I have dedicated to making the team might “go to waste” if I don’t make the roster, but the fact that I have the opportunity to earn a spot on one of the most competitive basketball teams in the Mission League is worth whatever cost. Continuing to be a part of the program, something larger than myself, is something I will strive for as long as I can. So when you consider trying out for that role in a play, that position in a club, or that spot on the end of the bench for a sports team, do so. If you don’t attempt to achieve your goals, you have no chance of ever reaching them.
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KING OF
Coming from a fami hockey player Kirk W at a young age and c himself in the rink as BY JORDAN GARFINKEL
CAPTAIN KIRK Kirk Woo ’14, captain of the Junior Valencia Flyers, points to a teammate in celebration of a goal.
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F THE RINK
ily of hockey fans, ice Woo ’14 adopted the game continues immersing s both a fan and a skater.
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here’s not a lot of ice in Los Angeles, which might explain why most kids play sports on the grass, like soccer and baseball. Kirk Woo ’14 decided to spend most of his extracurricular time gliding on ice, body-checking competitors into boards and suffering the reciprocation of such contact. Woo has been immersed into the culture of hockey since his birth. His father Warren Woo, a part owner of the NHL Nashville Predators, relayed his passion for hockey to him and his brother Kyle. “I first realized hockey was my favorite sport when I was around the age of 3 or 4. My dad was really into it ever since he was a kid. So, he got me into it at a very young age as well,” Woo said. Woo’s father also took him to a lot of professional hockey games with his season tickets to the Los Angeles Kings. “Watching the sport is incredible. I learn a lot from the game by watching the pros play it and I think that helps me as a player, but also helps me appreciate the game even more,” Woo said. At a young age, Woo’s athletic interests were not limited to only hockey. He played many of the typical sports associated with Los Angeles kids, including basketball, football, baseball and soccer. Woo finally decided to concentrate on hockey, not only because of the heavy influence from his father and the different feel it has compared to the others, but also because he found flaws in placing himself within some of these generic sports. “Obviously, I’m not the biggest guy, so football couldn’t happen, basketball, not really. I was a good baseball player. But, there was something about hockey; it was unique, and not a lot of people played it,” Woo said. Woo began his experience with hockey at the Palisades Recreation Center, participating in roller hockey games, along with his brother. Woo claims that Ethan Rill, one of founders of the youth league in Palisades, influenced him greatly to try to play ice hockey. “The main difference is obviously the skating. Skating on roller blades is a lot different than ice skates. But, the transition itself wasn’t as hard as I originally thought it would be,” Woo said. Woo does not stand very tall or carry much mass, but this helps him focus on his strengths as a player and does prevent him
from getting physical in the rink. “The best aspect of my game is my skating and my quickness. I can get to full speed fast and quickly. I have a quick shot, a quick release, but really it’s the skating that sets me apart from the guys at my level,” Woo said. “I have always been a physical player, myself. I usually lead my team in hits every year. The physicality of the game is definitely something that attracts me to the game more than it deters me,” Woo said. The combination of the physicality of the game, Woo’s bodily frame and his aggressive play has led him to some serious injuries. As a hard-nosed hockey player, Woo tries to play through his injuries, as he once did with a broken ankle. Woo was once “speared in the kidney” on the ice and urinated blood for about a week. He played through it. Woo has had one injury in his career that kept him off the ice for a long period of time. “I have been out for six months before because I had a pulmonary lung contusion, which can be fatal. I got crunched against the boards by a very large player. I actually thought I was fine and I was going to keep playing, but it just knocked the breath out of me. When I was on the bench, I started coughing blood and I thought ‘that’s probably not good,’” Woo said. Currently, Woo plays for the Junior Valencia Flyers Hockey club and already has four goals and two assists in his first three games. Woo does not enjoy scoring a goal himself nearly as he much as he does facilitating an assist to his teammates. “I am not even lying when I say that,” Woo said. “This year, I have a larger role on the team. I’m a captain. Being a captain, I’m definitely going to be one of the leading point scorers, including goals, but definitely assists. I have always been a distributer and have always had good vision on the ice.” Woo is looking to continue to play hockey through college and is currently talking to Division-3 coaches and players. With the NHL being an unreasonable prospect for Woo and hockey being a sport for the young and active, Woo still sees hockey being involved in his long-term future. “I am always going to watch it, regardless of how old I am and I am always going to be Kings fan and a Predators fan. I always want to be involved with the game,” Woo said.
Photo printed with permission of Kirk Woo
BIG RED HOMECOMING 2013 • 25
EXCHANGING A FEW WORDS INSIDE WOLVERINE “TRASH TALK” BY TYLER GRAHAM
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s Matthew Gooden ‘15 runs down the pitch, an opposing player grabs a handful of his jersey, and not for the first time. The defender drags Gooden down, and the physical altercation escalates into a verbal assault. Gooden pushes the opposing player and a referee comes in holding up a yellow card to signal that Gooden will have to leave the field. Many athletes use trash talking, insulting or boastful phrases, with the intention to demoralize or gain an edge on their opponent. Is trash talking good, bad, or unavoidable, when emotions run high? “I personally think it’s unavoidable in the heat of the moment because everyone on the field is competitive and is trying to get the win for their team,” varsity soccer player Gooden said. “Players will do what ever they can to make the victory that much easier for them. When a player starts to trash talk, you just have to deal with it and not react because in most circumstances it could hurt the team if you do.” Gooden, who scored seven goals last season, which tied him for the team lead, was also named the Harvard-Westlake Athlete of the Month last January. His yellow card came against Oaks Christian last season. “The Oaks Christian player was pulling on my shirt whenever he came near me, so we exchanged some choice words and then I pushed him and he pushed me back,” Gooden said. “I regret losing my cool and getting sent off. It was pointless and unnecessary, and I lost a bit of trust from my coach.” You can be famous or in-
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famous for trash talking; it can ruin or enhance a player’s reputation. Gary Payton, who was recently inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame, and was known to be the biggest and best trash talker, and used it to get a competitive edge. Payton was a nine time All-Star and was elected nine times to the All-Defensive first team in 17 seasons, but he is more well known for his gift of gab than his defensive prowess. Soccer player Nico Greenlee ’15 echoes Gooden’s thoughts in that things happen in the heat of the moment that you usually regret when it’s all said and done. “If someone comes in for a late tackle or does something uncalled for, it’s hard to resist the urge to say something spiteful back,” Greenlee said. “In the moment, words are flying, but after the game you always regret it and make sure to shake hands with the player, because it’s just a game.” Some players hold nothing back and will do whatever it takes to win, from trash talking to physical intimidation. “If someone says something that should not be mentioned, I just have to lay him out flat and show him how it is,” soccer player Parker Converse ’15 said. “You can’t be afraid to retaliate and strike fear into the opponent.” Sometimes the approach to trash talking depends on the sport, and players don’t need to say anything to get in their opponents head and gain a competitive advantage. “Although golf is a game centered on sportsmanship and etiquette, I always project confidence and aggressiveness to my opponents,” golfer Adrian Berger ’15 said. “You sometimes try
MIND GAMES
Football defensive end Jeremy Tepper ’15 shouts through his mouthguard at an opposing player this season. JACK GOLDFISHER/BIG RED
GROUP DYNAMIC
Wolverine Fanatics are known for chanting against opponent teams, as shown above. JACK GOLDFISHER/BIG RED
to play mind games with the opponent, which fuels competition and makes sports more interesting for players and spectators.” A more aggressive and emotional sport, such as football, tends to lead to more trash talking. “I think trash talking has become an integral part of the game, especially in such heated and intense matchups such as ours with Loyola,” football player Desmond Butler ’15 said. “Personally I don’t trash talk very much, but I believe it’s fine as long as you don’t go too far with it.” An unnamed basketball player said that he enjoys dishing out the trash talking, but when an opposing player talks trash to him, he says he is too immature to handle it and lets it affect his game. The player also noted the Harvard-Westlake Fanatics who, led by the Head Fanatics, are know for often utilizing chants
to intimidate and get inside the heads of opponents. A volleyball player who asked not to be named says that girls don’t trash talk to the other team directly, but when they get in the huddle they say derogatory things about the other team. While players may think that trash talking is a growing part of sports, not all coaches agree. Head football coach Scot Ruggles doesn’t believe that trash talking has any type of positive impact on a game, nor does he tolerate it from his players. “I don’t tolerate any type of trash talking,” Ruggles said. “However, sometimes in the heat of the moment, your emotions get the best of you, both good and bad.” Basketball coach Greg Hilliard agrees with Ruggles in that there is no place for trash talking in sports. “Trash talking is not part of
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IT IS NOT PART OF THE GAME, OTHERWISE US COACHES WOULD TEACH IT IN PRACTICE AND GO TO CLINICS TO LEARN HOW TO TEACH IT BETTER.” HILLIARD SAID.
the game, it is part of our modern culture that has crept into basketball and many other walks of life,” Hilliard said. “It is not part of the game, otherwise us coaches would teach it in practice and go to clinics to learn how to teach it better. Since most of the words are put-downs bordering on verbal abuse or at least verbal manipulation, I would rather see our players gain that advantage by playing the game and using their experience and skill.”
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