Sports update 2019 by Foundations of Journalism

SPORTS UPDATE

SPORTS

APR. 23, 2019

RISING RUNNER Ella Woods is only a freshman and is already on her way to Drake for track. Woods ran track for her middle school, Northwest Junior High, and is now a passionate trackstar for West High School. Woods runs many events, but her favorite event is the hundred meter hurdles. She tries her hardest to improve her technique everyday at practice. “Probably the biggest thing for me, is trying to get my three step, because to take three steps in between each hurdle is the biggest thing for me. And then my trail leg, just trying to get over fast,” Woods says about the techniques she uses while running hurdles. She could see a future with track and definitely wants to run in college. “I’ve kind of thought about it, I want to go to an Ivy League, but I might just stay in state too and go to the University of Iowa,”

Article written by Ashly Baum,design by Lataeja Brown and Will Haddy, Pictures by Mary Woodward and Brock Pelfrey

“I really want to go to college for track” Woods hasn’t figured out exactly what she wants to do for after high school, but as a freshman, she has plenty of time. She is also very passionate about running and loves to do it for fun. The feeling she gets after running is something she enjoys a lot, “I just feel like, proud of myself and I feel confident too. It’s just like, I’m in a really good place mentally.”

SPORTS

APR. 22, 2019

Woods also has to focus her time on school work. She has a study hall everyday where she can put aside everything and just focus on her grades. “It can be hard to get work done, but usually I stay on top of it a lot at school and make sure I get it all done.” Woods’s parents and coaches are her biggest motivation along with some of the seniors on the track team. Peyton Steva ‘19 is one of the many seniors that she looks up to. “She’s our best hurdler and she’s amazing at it.” www

Woods not only has to deal with track and school work, but also an injury. She has shin splints, which is an inflammation of the muscles, tendons and bone tissue around a person’s shin. Woods had to take a week off from track because her injury was so painful. She is hoping that the free week will relax and heal her, so that she can go back to track as soon as possible. “It’s very challenging,” Woods said. “For a while, I just took ibuprofen and I could run still, but now it’s getting really bad.” For the shuttle hurdle she is third in the Quickset Standings, and hopefully Drake approves. Woods is also in the top fifty for hurdles and long jump. Woods is a star athlete for track and pushes herself daily to get better. Woods talks about why she loves running so much, “I find it really fun and just the feeling you get after you’re done running is nice.”

SPORTS

APR. 23, 2019

SIBLINGS IN SPORTS

We all know what it’s like to compete in life, but what about against someone you interact with every day? The WSS interviewed siblings who did sports together to get a glimpse into the world of the lives of people who may be worst enemies on the field, and best friends in life. BY GARY CHEN

Makayla Slade ’21 and Lizzy Slade’21 What sports do you play? Makayla: I play soccer. Lizzy: I’m a baton tirwler.

How did you start your sport?

Lizzy: “I was five and doing gymnastics at the time, and we were going through the field house when I saw the golden girl at the time, Chelsea Russell twirling, and I was in awe. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. After that, I decided to sign up for lessons.” Makayla: “Being the kind of person I am, I wanted nothing to do with batons, so one day, we were driving past a soccer field, and I decided that I wanted to do that. I’ve been playing ever since.”

Makayla Slade ‘21 during warmups.

How competitive are you with each other?

Makayla: “We tend to be more competitive because we’ve always had each other, and you have to compete against somebody.” Lizzy: “A lot of the time it’s like ‘oh, I have the better G.P.A.’”

Do you ever get jealous of each other? Makayla: “We don’t really get jealous, we just get annoyed, and then we just get over it, go do something else.” Lizzy: “I’ve never really been jealous of her in any sort of way. We’re different people. Nothing to be jealous of I guess.”

Do you ever wish you played a sport together? Makayla: “No, beacause we want our own things.” Lizzy: “A lot of the time we are perceived as a same person but we’re differnet people.”

Lizzy Slade ‘21 after twirling at a West High football game.

Marnie Vonderhaar ’19 and Makenna Vonderhaar ’22

SPORTS

APR. 23, 2019

What positions (in soccer) do you play? Makenna: “I play center/mid field.” Marnie: “I also play mid field, but I am a holding midfielder.”

How did you start playing?

Marnie: “I started playing when I was really young, like, 1st or 2nd grade. I started with Kickers, and in junior high, a lot of my friends joined ISC, so I did too.” Makenna: “I think our parents signed us up for a lot of sports when we were younger, and I think we just kept playing soccer.”

How competitive are you guys?

Marnie: “Makenna may have a different opinion than me, but I don’t think we’re that competitive.

Is it difficult to play on the same team because you are both on varsity?

Makenna: “Sometimes.” Marnie: “I think it’s fun that we’re on the same team, because we’ve never played on a team together.”

Do you sometimes wish you didn’t play together?

Marnie Vonderhaar ‘19 (left) and Makenna Vonderhaar ‘22 (right) before soccer practice at Barker Field.

Marnie: “For me I enjoy it, because Makenna and I are pretty close.” Makenna: “I mean, sometimes we get a little too aggressive, but in the end, I think it’s good.”

Do you give advice to your younger sister?

Marnie: I try to. [But] I don’t think that I’m so much batter just because I’m older than her. I think we’re pretty even on the field.

Do you look up to your older sister?

Makenna: “Yeah. Marnie’s a good role model.”

DESIGN BY YOUJOO LEE ART BY FRANCES BLOUNT

SPORTS

est Softball

APRIL. 23, 2019

As we swing into the new softball season, West high players share their experiances with the team and the work they’ve put in to get where they are.

By: Kiley Butcher, Alexis Dick, and Sydney Wildes

Coach Craig and Coach Hop “We are really looking forward to this season, we have a great group of girls with a lot of great talent. But the most important thing is that we will all have fun and make this season our best yet!”

Maddie Caylor 22’ “Loving the sport made me want to play and keep playing, I have spent almost my whole life playing softball and playing on travailing teams to become better and learn the best plays. It helps that my team is all so support of me and other players.”

Alina Davis 22’

“Softball is like a home where i’m free to show of my skills while bonding with a team. It allows me to work together with others and be collaborative. We all share a love for the same sport and we each have a passion for different aspects that come together like one big machine”

SPORTS

APRIL. 23, 2019

Rylie Goodfellow 21’ “I really enjoy the softball team this year! I have fun at every practice and game. I started playing when I was really young because my friend played and I wanted to play too. I love the sport and always want to improve that’s why I have worked so hard. I can’t wait for this season to start!”

Ryleigh Mulcahey 19’ “Okay so softball is something I’ve been playing since I was like 4. I’ve honestly always enjoyed it, some times more than others. It’s always been such a good time for me. I wanted to work harder, practice harder, and win. Pitching makes it more fun especially when you’re having a good day and your team is behind you. I think just my drive and consistency have really gotten me to where I am”

SPORTS APRIL 22

When the playing days end, they begin West’s top senior boys tennis players look back at their careers and face forward to the future. By: Jonathan Chen Almost three years ago in the middle of May, the boys tennis team was competing at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School to qualify for the state semifinals. They had already won four out of five matches, including a 6-0, 6-4 victory by then-freshman Jack Wenzel ’19. However, the final match, to be played by another then-freshman, Samuel Shin ’19, had yet to be decided. He had won his first set in an extended tiebreaker but dropped the second. Now, it came down to the third set. Knowing his win would send the team to the semifinals, he pulled through with a 6-2 victory. Now both Shin and Wenzel are two of the four seniors playing their last matches for the Trojans, and in the past four years, much achievements have been made. Wenzel has been playing tennis since the age of five and has certainly reaped the rewards of his work. These past years have yielded many successes, pushed by those close to him.

“ WE PUT I N A LOT O F WO R K DU RI N G TH E O F FSEASO N SO WE CAN PE R FO R M OU R B EST WH E N IT MATTE RS.” -SAM SH I N ‘19

“My brother has been a huge inspiration to me and always has been someone I have looked up to,” said Wenzel in an email. “My dad was [also] my first coach when I was 5 and has encouraged me to become the best I can be ever since.” In 2017, he and Cole Schneider ’17 won the state 2A doubles championship. His years on the Trojan team have also helped propel the team into two state championships in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, Wenzel and Schneider’s doubles victory boosted the team to a “triple crown” (winning the state singles, doubles, and team championships). “We were the 3rd (sic) team in Iowa high school tennis history to ever do that and it was so awesome to be a part of that,” Wenzel said. His consistency and determination on the court have advanced him to many milestones for the Trojans. He will continue his tennis career next year as a Division III athlete at Wheaton College in Illinois.

Design by Xiaoyi Zhu Photo by Anum Ansar

SPORTS

APRIL 22

Sam Shin ‘19

BOYS VARSITY TENNIS ~ Achievements ~

Triple Crown [2017]

On the other hand, Shin picked up his racquet as a toddler and never looked back. Now he is one of the top players in the state. Along with the two team Sam win, Shin ‘19 championships he and Wenzel helped he also received third place in state 2A singles and won the Klotz Winter Open, the USTA (United States Tennis Association) Junior District Championships, in 2018. During his Klotz run, he also defeated Timmy Ellis, the Ames High senior that had claimed first place in state 2A singles earlier in the year. For him, the 2017 triple crown victory brings great memories as well. “Our #1 (sic) was injured and everyone expected Linmar (sic) to beat us because everyone on our team had to shift up a spot. However, we ended up sweeping them,” said Shin, “We put in a lot of work during the offseason so we can perform our best when it matters.” Tennis will continue to be a fundamental part of Shin as he moves on to UIUC (the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), playing for the competitive club team. (optional conclusion, include this if you want) Shin and Wenzel have both had very successful tennis careers filled with independent and team championships. Their days of playing on the Trojan court will end as they graduate from West. However, a new chapter in their playing days will begin. Shin will begin his days of playing for UIUC, and Wenzel will begin his playing days at Wheaton College. As the days here end, the days there will begin.

8 Team tennis championships 8 Consecutive appearances at state

Jack Wenzel ‘19

NEWS

FEB. 17, 2017

INSANE SPORTS COLLIDE

Jack Harris ‘22 and Magnus Wilson ‘20 take a look at some of the worlds strangest and most bizaare sports. In essence, every sport is insane and weird. Some sports simply lack the mainstream legitimacy that others hold high. If there was a professional ferret legging sports league, people would take it much more seriously instead of laughing at how ludicrous and moronic it is. People might consider the feats that the competitors pull off to actually be impressive. When Reg Mellor talked about the difficulty of holding angry ferrets in his pants for hours on end he said,“I had ‘em hangin’ from me tool for hours an’ hours an’ hours! Two at a time—one on each side. I been swelled up big as a fivepound can of instant coffee.” Reg discovered the sport of ferret legging when he was 69 years old and would practice by capturing ferrets while out hunting and keeping them in his pants until he returned home. When he found out the world record for ferret legging was a mere 60 seconds he said,“ Sixty seconds! I can stick a ferret up me ass longer than that.”

BY THE

NUMBERS

1 69 330

times a human has won man versus horse noodling deaths per year the ferret legging world record in minutes

Some ridiculously weird sports are just outdated. According to Florida state senator Ritch Workman,“Dwarf tossing was a sensation in bars and taverns before it was banned in 1989.” and the sport of Noodling was originally invented so people without fishing equipment could catch catfish (by sticking their fist inside the catfish’s mouth.) If sports aim to entertain, then why do people scoff at the more ridiculous sports? Some of these sports have, despite their perceived lunacy, gained enough of a following to hold events and have a real sports league. A prime example of this would be the cardboard tube fighting league, whose motto is “Training elite militias of cardboard tube wielding ninjas”. The league hosts gigantic melees where the winner is the last person without a broken tube. Some students participated in a similar event and they had some mixed opinions but all agreed it was a fun sport. Sam Westergard ‘21 said,“It reminded me of the lightsaber fights in

NEWS

FEB. 17, 2017

One other key example of this would be car curling. Car curling began in Russia in 2017 and the creators are already pushing for it to become an Olympic sport. The Russians thought curling was too boring so they took one of their cars, drove it onto an ice rink, put it in neutral, and started pushing it around the ice in place of a stone. Since then, people have been holding exhibition events around eastern Russia. Cheese rolling is an annual event that takes place on Coopers Hill in Gloucester, England. People compete to win a nine-pound wheel of cheese by chasing it down a hill. Everyone lines up at the top of the hill and the wheel is released as everyone gives chase. A fair share of ludicrous sports have made their way into the highest level of athletics, the Olympics. Some of the more recent ones include swimming obstacle race, tandem bicycle sprint, club swinging, and live pigeon shooting. These aren’t necessarily the most insane sports so far but they did all make the Olympics. The 1904 Olympics are infamous for what was known as “The Savages Olympics,” in which indigenous performers, who were at the Olympics because the world’s Star Wars which is pretty awesome.” Kailey Gee ‘22, who won the first cardboard tube fight by defeating everyone else, said,“I thought it was fun going against a lot of people at once because there was a lot going on.” It wasn’t all seamless though. Natalie Dunlap ‘20 had some critiques saying,“it was kind of awkward because hitting people you don’t know super well with cardboard tubes is a strange thing to do. Also I feel like it’s kind of wasteful because the tubes easily break.” Cardboard Tube dueling has its faults, but if people enjoy playing the sport, then the sport is fulfilling its purpose. Many of the strangest sports in the world are events that started because of strange circumstances and just never became popular elsewhere. Take man versus horse, for example. Man vs horse is a 22-mile race where horses and people compete against one another. The race takes place in Wales and started in 1980 when a bartender and a customer had an argument about who was faster over long distances, a man or a horse (obviously a horse). Gordon Green, the bartender, said during the argument,“I can prove that under the right conditions, a human can actually beat a horse.” The bartender settled it by having a public race, that the horse won, and here has been a race there every year since. fair was going on at the same time, were forced to participate in Olympic events as well other crazy made up sports such as, tree climbing, mud throwing, and rock dodgeball. The world has numerous sports that just seem bizarre, but all of them exist for one reason. Every sport that exists does this because somewhere out there, there are people who are entertained by it from the millions of people who watch the World Cup and the Super Bowl to the 5,000 people who watched Reg Mellor hold a ferret inside his pants for 5 hours and 26 minutes. People are drawn to spectacle no matter how strange. As Ray Liotta once said, “If you build it they will come.”

SPORTS AP. 22, 2019

Senior Feature: A look into the graduating class of girls track

Written by: Kailey Gee / Photos by: Madeline Smith

ith the end of the year on the horizon, the girls’ track team is wrapping up their last few meets. While the hype is exciting for some, it’s bittersweet for others. The five graduating seniors in girls’ track share their experiences participating in the sport over the years.

Peyton Steva’19

Peyton Steva ‘19 has had a passion for track that began when she was about eight years old. Since then, Steva has been running mostly hurdles and sprints on the track team. Participating in track has taught Steva the value of teamwork. “You really need to trust in your teammates, because if you don’t, you’re not going to be as happy on the team,” Steva said. “Your teammates are going to feel a lot better if you believe in them.” Steva’s teamwork has helped her reach her proudest moment: winning first in the distance medley in 2017 with a few teammates. Their time set a school record. Steva plans to continue track in college, and has hopes of participating post-collegiately. While there are a lot of things to look forward to in college, Steva is going to miss her teammates the most. “(It) sounds really cliche, but I’ve gotten really close with these girls over the past four years. I already miss the girls that have already left because they’ve graduated,” Steva said. “You’re going from seeing people every single day since seventh grade because you guys are doing the same sports to not being able to see them because we’ll be in different states.”

Steva’s Track Events:

Deniz Ince’19

1. 100 Meter Dash: 12.51 seconds 2. 100 Meter Hurdles: 14.63 seconds 3. 200 Meter Dash: 25.99 seconds

Steva’19 competing other schools like Liberty High School in the Track and Field meeting that was held on Mar 30,2019 Deniz Ince ’19 has been doing long distance track since junior high. “I remember I did distance because nobody raised their hand when (Northwest Junior high coach) Kuepker asked who would do distance,” Ince said. “Because I was planning on being a sprinter, and then I was like, ok whatever, I’ll just try it for a day.” However, Ince stuck with long-distance events, and she plans to continue running track at Yale University in Connecticut. While Ince is excited to live on her own and see a new place, she’ll miss the sense of community. “I think the environment here is one that really sets you up for success,” Ince said. “With our little distance group, I know every day we go out, we do our run and then we come back. We wait for each other, and then we give each other a high five at the end of it. So it’s just little things like that that bring a smile to your face.”

Ince’s Track Events:

1. 800 Meter Run: 2:19:30 minutes 2. 1500 Meter Run: 4:52:25 minutes 3. 3000 Meter Run: 10:32:07 minutes

“I think the envirometn here is on that sets you up for success .”

SPORTS

APR. 22, 2019

Deniz Ince’19 Katie Severt ‘19 just started participating in long jump events last year, although she’s been in track since junior high. In fact, Severt has been expanding her range of track events. “I recently started hurdles (and) I just did a 400 which I don’t usually do, so this year I’m just trying new things,” Severt said. “Katie is blossoming,” Steva added. Even though it was her first year in the event, Severt won third at Drake in long jump. “I wasn’t really expecting it, so that was just exciting.” Severt plans to run track at Concordia University in Nebraska. She’s excited to meet new people and try new things. Throughout the years, she’s learned to have faith in the training process. “Your trust is a huge part,” said Severt. “Like you have to trust what your coaches are saying, take their advice, and apply that to your event.” Prisca Namibutchwe ‘19 moved to Iowa from San Diego, California in her freshman year of high school. Now, she’s a junior and is graduating early. It’s her first year on the track team, but previously, Namibutchwe had participated in soccer at City high. After taking a break to focus on academics her sophomore year, she was ready to get back into a sport. When Coach Parker made an announcement that he only needed five more people to join track to win a pizza party, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. However, she had no clue what event she wanted to run. “I asked one of my friends (for advice), I was like ‘What should I do?’ And they were like, just show up tomorrow and and ask (Coach Parker),” Namibutchwe said. “And then I showed up the next day, and here I am.” Namibutchwe runs 100s, 200s, and 400s, mainly participating in sprinter events. Due to her late start in the sport, she probably won’t continue track in college (at least, not right away). “If I had started track earlier then I would have went directly into doing track in college, but I’ll possibly do an intramural thing first and see if I like that,” Namibutchwe said. “(If I do) then I’ll probably try out for the track team.” One of Namibutchwe’s favorite moments was when she was put into her first 400 meter dash. “I heard so many horrible stories about the 400, and I knew it was going to be horrible, and I didn’t want to do it, (but coach Parker) made me do it. And it really sucked,” Namibutchwe said. However, she ended up getting the average

Holding on of the highest scores in the event, Long Jump, Severt ‘19 jumps fiercely during her Track and Field meeting.

Severt’s Track Event:

1. Long Jump: 17-10.00 ft

of what people regularly run on a 400, which was great for her first year on the team. “I was like, Wow, that’s awesome. But yeah no, I’m never gonna do that again,” Namibutchwe said. The main thing she’s learned from track is perseverance. “Keep going, keep being committed with it, at least trying it out instead of saying that ‘Oh, I can’t do it’,” Namibutchwe said. “Like I thought I could have never done the 400, I thought I would never survive. I thought I was just gonna run into the midfield and not finish the race, but at least I finished it.”

Katie Severt’19

Namibutchwe ‘19 runs with all her powe around the Track filed determind to reach the end line.

Namibutchwe’s Track Event:

1. 100 Meter Dash: 32.52 seconds 2. 400 Meter Dash: 1:18:79 minutes

Prisca Namibutchwe ‘19

SPORTS

APR. 22,2019

Emma Durian’19

Emma Durian ‘19 isn’t your typical track member. She had to stop running on the team because of a medical condition. However, she’s still a big part of the team. Durian comes to the meets, and helps out with whatever the team needs. Once she graduates, she’ll be heading to the University of Northern Iowa to study elementary education. “I’m excited,” Durian said. “It’s just like lots of new people and a different environment from here. I’ve lived in Iowa City my entire life, so it’ll just be like, a little bit different.”