Avianna Winter Portfolio 2019 by Lori Hart

A V I A n n a

portfolio - winter 2019

R e f l e c t i o N one

Every year this class teaches me a lot about deadlines, teamwork, production, etc, but being editor-in-chief this year has put things into a whole new perspective. This new role has continued to push me and make go out of my comfort zone, but that’s exactly what I wanted when I ran for editor-in-chief. When it comes to actual production skills, the only tangible thing I have learned this semester is that I have continued to get better at InDesign and improve my design skills from last year. However, most of the production skills I have learned this year have to do with leadership and learning to lead a production team and an entire newspaper staff. I started to come to this realization last year as an editor, but have definitely learned the importance of leadership and communication with the staff/other editors this year. I think that having good leadership is extremely important and necessary to the production of this paper. I have never had an issue with deadlines, whether it was in this class or any other, because I always get my work done on time. However, last year I had to learn how to work around the people that do struggle with deadlines and that learning process has continued into this year. This semester so far, I have had to figure out how to fix any missing holes in the paper due to other people not meeting their own deadlines. This has taught me that just because I, personally, don’t struggle with deadlines, doesn’t mean that other people don’t and I still have to figure out how to solve the problem of missing work. Each year has taught me something new in regards to teamwork. Being an editor is a big adjustment from being a staff member, but it is nothing compared to being editor - in- chief and having to learn how to lead a team. The concept of how this team works is not new to me since I have been in this class for three years, but this semester I have embraced my new role as editor-in-chief and have learned how to lead this team. In all honesty, I haven’t really learned anything new in regards to journalism ethics. I understood the importance of it since day one of being in this class. It’s something I’m used too and have never really had any challenges with it. I think it’s safe to say that I am extremely dedicated to this paper, otherwise I wouldn’t be editor-in-chief. My position as an editor and editor-in-chief, as well as my production skills such as my ability to meet deadlines and my willingness to go finish whatever work is missing shows how I have been an asset to the staff. I am extremely committed to the publication and that shows in my willingness to help other editors with their pages (like how I finished Travel and Health on production day for the November issue) or my eagerness to get things done when no one else will (taking last minute hockey photos in the November issue because no one else would). Being editor-in-chief this year has made me even more committed to the paper and more passionate about it too. I have learned so much this semester from being editor-in-chief. The biggest problem I had this year was figuring out what to do when editors don’t get their work done. Last year, I only had to worry about the staff members writing for my page, but this year, I have had to learn how to deal with editors and figure out what to do when they don’t edit their stories, or finish their pages. My greatest weakness is definitely my ability to communicate with the rest of the staff. I have never prided myself on my communication skills, but I do think I am improving. I will continue to work on talking to and communicating with the other editors because I know that communication is a key part in being a good leader.

R e f l e c t i o N Two

In my opinion, I think my most significant piece of work this semester is the front page impeachment article for the November issue. I feel that this was my best piece of work because its sophistication and because of the amount of time I spent working on it. Although it was not the only front page article I wrote this semester, it was probably the best. I tried to go very in-depth and explain how the impeachment process works, as well as explaining the current situation with President Trump. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to keep the article unbiased, which is one of the reasons why I think the article turned out good. The fact that I find this topic interesting to research is probably why I think it is well written. It is easier to write good and lengthy articles on topics that I actually enjoy learning about. The reason why I choose this article over the other front page stories I have written, was because this one was more organized and better thought out. My other front page article (Arizona Wildfires) was rushed, but I definitely took my time to write this one, making the quality of writing better. Despite the fact that I enjoyed writing it, it was kind of difficult to complete. For some reason, I struggled to make the word count. I don’t think the length of the article was the problem, as I have written front page stories before and have not had trouble meeting the word count. After I researched and wrote the entire thing, I was still about 200 words short. I felt like I had covered everything and was really struggling to add more words. That was unusual for me, since I don’t normally have a problem with the word count. I had to ask for help in order to get more ideas on what else to write about, which felt weird because I don’t usually ask for help with articles. The impeachment article definitely evolved a lot from the first draft to the published version. The first version I wrote was disorganized and under word count. However by production day, I was able to organize the article into two parts (explaining the process of impeachment and the current situation) and lengthen the article to make it fit the word count. I think I went back an edited it two or three times before production day. The organization was one of the reasons why it turned out as good as it did. In order to complete this article, I had to spend a lot of time doing research on Trump’s impeachment, as well as how the impeachment process works in general. Understanding impeachment and its significance and importance was key to writing a good article. Throughout my research, I learned a lot about the impeachment process and how our government works. This was the most research I have ever done for an article, especially since I think I spent more time doing research then I did actually writing the article. Obviously, anytime I finish writing a front page article is a proud feeling, but this one even more so than the rest of them. I like the fact that this article was well written and had good organization. My favorite part of the way it turned out was that it was completely unbiased, since that is very important to writing any newspaper article. Overall, I am very happy with the way it turned out.

From this On September 24, 2019, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, backed by the Democratic party, made history when she announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. House Democrats plan to investigate the President for allegedly asking another country to dig up dirt on a political rival in order to gain an advantage in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. This all started when an anonymous whistleblower came forward and claimed that Trump had asked Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President and current Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his son. A whistleblower is an anonymous person who informs an organization or government of an illegal activity. The whistleblower sat in on a phone call between Trump and Zelensky, in which Trump supposedly told his aids to freeze 400 million dollars in military aid to Ukraine, unless their government investigated Joe Biden’s son for his company’s practices in Ukraine. This phone call took place on July 25. The whistleblower’s complaint was filed on August 12, but the complaint was not released to the public until September 26. The question is whether or not this is illegal. Because Joe Biden is a political opponent of Trump who is expected to challenge him in the 2020 presidential election, the Democrats believe it is illegal because it is against the law for a government official to use a foreign ally to investigate a political rival. This decision to impeach has left the public divided, with many believing the phone call to be a “quid pro quo” — basically, you must do this or I won’t do that — while many others saying that it was not spelled out as a quid pro quo in the conversation, and that the president was just asking Zelensky to come down hard on illegal business practices in Ukraine. “I don’t think Trump should be impeached,” said Skylar Ayers, a senior. Democrats have already begun the impeachment proceedings, having several key witnesses testify against the president, such as William Taylor, who is the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine. They are hoping to have former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, testify as well. “If [Trump] does get impeached, it will be the most important impeachment in history because it is the first impeachment based on political rivalry,” said Ayers. Things took a turn on October 23 when House Republicans stormed what was supposed to be a closed door impeachment proceeding and refused to leave. The 30 Republicans said they would not leave until the Democrats held an open hearing, claiming that the current investigation was unfair and biased. While there were some Republicans on the committee, the concern was that the hearings were closed, and that everyone should have access to the entire interviews, not just what was being released to the media. Adding even more chaos to the already controversial issue, on November 5, the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, changed his testimony. In his new testimony, Sondland admits that Trump did use a quid pro quo during that phone call with the Ukrainian president. This is a significant change from his original testimony given in October, where he denied knowledge of any quid pro quo. On October 31, House majority Democrats won a small battle after they held the first vote with the full House during these impeachment proceedings. The final count was a 232-196 vote in favor of the impeachment. Only two Democrats voted against and no Republicans for it. This is not the first time Trump has been investigated, as Democrats have been threatening to impeach Trump his entire presidency, so there are many questions as to why Democrats are just now choosing impeachment. “I think this is the first investigation that it really strong enough to actually impeach him,” said Samantha O’Connor, a junior. This is no doubt a historical moment, as this is only the third impeachment and fourth time removal from office has been considered in the country’s history. Trump is added to a short list of presidents who have been investigated for crimes committed while in office. The previous presidents on this list include Richard Nixon, William Clinton, and Andrew Johnson. Only Nixon and Clinton faced formal impeachment proceedings, and no U.S. president has ever been removed from office by impeachment. “I think it’s a huge deal. It has happened so rarely in our history that this is only the fourth time an impeachment inquiry has been launched against a president. I think this is very significant,” said Molly Gum, a government teacher. The framers of the Constitution made it difficult for Congress to remove a sitting president. The impeachment process begins in the House of Representatives with a formal impeachment inquiry. If the House Judiciary committee finds that there are valid reasons for impeachment, the members of the House write and pass articles of impeachment, which then go to the full House for a vote. A simple majority is all that is needed to formally impeach a president, but that does not mean he or she is out of office. The final stage is the Senate impeachment trial. Only if two-thirds of the Senate find the president guilty is he or she removed from office. “There’s two parts to the process. The first part will probably be done by the end of the year, but it’s hard to say when the trial with the Senate will be done,” said Gum. Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, works for Ukraine’s largest natural gas company, Burisma, which faced allegations of corruption. It is no secret that Hunter Biden’s involvement with this company has raised many questions about conflict of interest with the U.S. According to a recent poll done by FiveThirtyEight, just above 48 percent of Americans support Trump’s impeachment.

To This

What GIVES in D.C.? By Avianna Hoppes editor in cheifww

On September 24, 2019, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, backed by the Democratic party, made history when she announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. House Democrats plan to investigate the President for allegedly asking another country to dig up dirt on a political rival in order to gain an advantage in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. This all started when an anonymous whistleblower came forward and claimed that Trump had asked Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President and current Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his son. A whistleblower is an anonymous person who informs an organization or government of an illegal activity. The whistleblower sat in on a phone call between Trump and Zelensky, in which Trump supposedly told his aids to freeze 400 million dollars in military aid to Ukraine, unless their government investigated Joe Biden’s son for his company's practices in Ukraine. This phone call took place on July 25. The whistleblower’s complaint was filed on August 12, but the complaint was not released to the public until September 26. The question is whether or not this is illegal. Because Joe Biden is a political opponent of Trump who is expected to challenge him in the 2020 presidential election, the Democrats believe it is illegal because it is against the law for a government official to use a foreign ally to investigate a political rival. This decision to impeach has left the public divided, with many believing the phone call to be a “quid pro quo” — basically, you must do this or I won’t do that — while many others saying that it was not spelled out as a quid pro quo in the conversation, and that the president was just asking Zelensky to come down hard on illegal business practices in Ukraine. “I don’t think Trump should be impeached,” said Skylar Ayers, a senior. Democrats have already begun the impeachment proceedings, having several key witnesses testify against the President, such as William Taylor, who is the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine. They are hoping to have former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, testify as well.

c the

press

the newspaper of Cactus Shadows High School in Scottsdale, Arizona

See Impeachment on page 3

INSIDE

the CSPress

November 15, 2019 Volume 11, Number 3

CHINESE HONORS SOCIETY MEETS

Find out about what happens during the Chinese Honors Society meetings. See on page 3

SENIOR SEASON

Hockey seniors reflect on their time playing. See hockey on page 22

R e f l e c t i o N Three

The first piece of work that I am proud of is the Kaepernick cartoon in the December issue. Anytime I complete a drawing or cartoon I am proud, because they can be hard to do. This particular cartoon took me awhile to complete and required a lot of patience, but I am happy with the way it turned out. Another reason why I like it is because it shows that I know how to use Illustrator, which always makes the paper look better.

The second piece of work that I am proud of are the hockey that I took for sports in the November issue. I am proud of this because hockey photos can be hard to get, but these ones turned out good. Also, the person who was supposed to take them never did, so I had to step in and get them last minute.

Another piece of work that I am proud of is the front page story about Arizona wildfires for the September issue. I think this article turned out good, especially given the fact that it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a topic that I enjoyed or cared about that much. I think I had really good interviews for this article, which is why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy with the way it turned out.

the

press

the newspaper of Cactus Shadows High School in Scottsdale, Arizona

A Burning Problem This is a kicker head

Avianna Hoppes editor in cheif

ANY ARIZONANS HAVE been struck by the effects of this year’s fire season as several wildfires have blazed across the state, burning everything in their path. Although the number of brush fires in Arizona this year is actually down from what was a year ago, the number of acres burned has increased. According to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, the state has only had 935 wild and brush fires burn during the first seven months of this year, compared to over 1,200 fires that burned in 2018 over the same period of time. However, over 235,000 acres have burned so far in 2019, compared to just 165,000 acres that burned in all of 2018. “The fires have created problems such has heavier traffic and smelling smoke for a few days,” said Olvia Graeber, a senior. One explanation for the bigger fires this year is the amount of moisture compared to last. The state was in a drought in 2018, so if a fire broke out it was easier to contain and put out. However, the increase in moisture from last winter has caused more vegetation to grow, such as grass and trees, helping a fire to grow and spread rapidly. Many of the fires that have been raging across the state have started in remote locations. Small brush fires that burn in or near a city can be contained quicker than a wildfire that burns in a remote place. “[The fires] often spread and get large in areas where it’s really hard to get people and equipment and most importantly water,” explained Rob McDade, captain of the Phoenix Fire Department. “We don’t have fire hydrants in the middle of these areas, so we have to bring in tanker trucks and brush trucks.” According to Wildland Fire Management Information (WFMI), Arizona’s statistics are similar to the rest of the nation. 85 percent of both wildfires and brush fires in the United States since 2018 have been caused by humans. These unintentional acts of arson are often caused by campfires left unattended, discarded cigarettes, fireworks, and equipment malfunction. “I think that a lot of major brush fires have been caused by people instead of nature. A lot of it is due to accidents or just pure carelessness. People need to be more aware of the environment,” said Graeber. One example is the Jomax brushfire that burned next to Cave Creek Road in early July. It was a man-made fire caused by a remote control airplane crashing. The other twelve percent of brush fires were caused by nature often due to a lightning strike on dry ground. There is a difference between hot and cold flashes of lightning based on the lightning’s current. It is the “hot” lightning that often often put the firefighters into action. “This is the most common cause of fires,” said McDade. These Arizona brush fires have hit pretty close to home. Whether it was the Jomax fire, or the Rioverde fire that burned in August, local citizens have been on high alert. “I have friends that live near some of the brush fires that have happened and they almost had to be evacuated,” said Madison Dodd, president of the Environmental Club. This is not unique to Cave Creek though, as many towns across the state have been affected by the fires and by the increase in burning acreage. To put it in perspective, the amount of acres burned so far this year in the state of Arizona is greater than the size Tempe, Mesa, and Scottsdale combined - and the year is only half over. The current state of wildfires and brush fires have not been limited to Arizona, but have also been a concern for people across the country as well as the world. Much of the current global news is about the Amazon wildfires raging in Brazil. Many climate change activists are upset with Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro, as he

FIRE BURNS through brush and trees at the Poco Wildfire in Tonto National Forest near Young, Arizona. The wildfire started as a result of human carelessness.

INSIDE

the CSPress

September 20, 2019 Volume 11, Number 1

BIG BLUE PEP RALLY

See FIRE on page 4

4Jean Beaumont USDA FS photo.

Student Council holds the annual Big Blue Pep Rally to gear up for fall sports. Six new Nest leaders are introduced. See PEP on page 16

NEW YEAR, NEW TEACHERS

Hayley Smith reports on new teachers this year. See TEACHERS on page 2

t e a r s h e e t s

Avianna Hoppes editor in cheif

the

press

the newspaper of Cactus Shadows High School in Scottsdale, Arizona

A Burning Problem This is a kicker head

FIRE BURNS through brush and trees at the Poco Wildfire in Tonto National Forest near Young, Arizona. The wildfire started as a result of human carelessness.

See FIRE on page 4

4Jean Beaumont USDA FS photo.

NEW YEAR, NEW TEACHERS

BIG BLUE PEP RALLY

INSIDE

the CSPress

September 20, 2019 Volume 11, Number 1

Student Council holds the annual Big Blue Pep Rally to gear up for fall sports. Six new Nest leaders are introduced. See PEP on page 16

Hayley Smith reports on new teachers this year. See TEACHERS on page 2

Front page - page 1- sep 20 2019

22 ● September 20, 2019

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

GOOD SPORTS

Cardinals look to future with new coach and quarterback By Colin Mesenbrink staff writer

Cardinals’ rookie quarterback, Kyler Murray and new head coach, Kliff Kingsbury optimistically prepared for the first game against the Lions by going over reps from the playbook at State Farm Stadium. “I feel that the new head coach has a great resume behind him, and I do feel that he will bring a great positive attitude to the team. I also feel that the quarterback has a lot of athleticism and if he develops and learns the system quick enough, he can be a force in the league,” said Gaetano Gianni, Health teacher. The new quarterback and coach are not the only things Cardinal fans are concerned about the team this season. On defense, both starting cornerbacks are either hurt or suspended for at least the first six games. Veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson was suspended in the offseason for a PED (Performance Enhancing Drugs) violation. On top of that, Robert Alford suffered a broken leg and will be out for the majority of the season. “In our eyes, it is not deserved. I think he got punished a little too harsh, but that is just because he’s a real star player and example that represents for our team and he made a mistake that he knew he shouldn’t have done,” said Gianni Pelosi, a junior. Another major concern is the offensive line. In preseason games, fans saw the opposing defense get through the line multiple times, putting pressure on the quarterback. Not too many changes were made at the Offensive line from last year. “If you go to the Cardinals’ games like I do, you can tell that there is this sense of community. If the Cardinals end up doing well this season, then that will be the talk of all of Arizona,” said Mason Speciale, a junior. The Cardinals have a lot potential that comes with high expectations this year. Now, it is just a matter of whether they will live up to the hype.

New coach to lead boy’s golf By Michael Kaegi staff writer

HIS YEAR, THE boy’s

Golf team plans to win this season with a brand new coach who has a whole new perspective on how to make it to the state champiI’m not onship. going to lie I Jim Marando, was nervous a math teacher, coming in because in six decided to return or seven years to coaching after you lose touch stepping out for a with contact, few years, taking your coaching the place of the style and things previous coach, like that; and Steve Gurule, an I had a lot of online coordinacatching up to tor. do because I “It really does haven’t coached in a long time.” feel great,” said Marando. “I’m not Jim Marando Boys Golf coach going to lie, I was nervous coming in because in six or seven years you lose touch with contact, your coaching style and things like that; and I had a lot of catching up to do.” This season, there are 12 varsity players who are competing during practice for a top five spot to play in the matches. There is a qualifier for each match the day before at practice. Matthew Madden, a junior, explained how a normal practice goes when on the team. “On the team, we just go out, play nine holes and record our score,” said Madden. Currently, the team has won two matches and is ranked 14th overall in the state. The team plans to make it to the state championship and bring home a title. “I want to see a champiSWINGING AWAY, Carter Forrest, a senior, practices his swings during onship,” said Marando. “I a daily golf practice at Desert Forest golf club. 4 Logan McDade want it more for the players

“

than I want it for me...I’ve been to the final four with teams plenty of times and being first, second, or third loser stinks.” Marando has been coaching for over twenty years and has coached many different sports such as football, baseball, and basketball. He plans to take some of the techniques he has learned over the years and apply it to the current team. He has also been influenced by other coaches of the time, as well as ones from the past, following in their footsteps and taking some of their techniques and putting his own spin on it. “There are certain coaches that I definitely respect and look up to,” said Marando. “The one that stays in my mind is Scott Sikowitz, we coached football here 20 years ago, and he’s now the head golf coach at Paradise Valley and him and I are still best friends.” Marando understands that the players on the team do have their own swing coaches, so he does not try to change them that much. There is also no practice on Fridays in order for them to work on their own and with their specific coaches. The players on the team have their own individual practice routines and have found their own ways to get better. “Just take lessons, be motivated and play a lot of golf,” said Connor Kuziel, a junior on the team. Marando is trying to bring a new perspective and different outlook as a coach for the team and is willing to work hard to help each of the players to achieve their goal. The team will face off against Sandra Day O’Connor and Notre Dame Prep next on September 24.

sports- page 23- sep 20 2019 Good Sports

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

Max Hancock staff writer

HIS FOOTBALL SEASON is

expected to be different from past seasons with many changes to last years team. New captains, starting sophomores on varsity, and new coaches will give this season a new twist. “There’s a lot more competition this year,” said Gavin Bush, a sophomore who is starting on varsity this year. “It’s hard being the small guy out there.” Bush is one of the few players who will be moving up to the varsity football team. Playing on a senior oriented team from a freshman team is an adjustment for this year's sophomores. The new players will have to adapt to a team that is already very close with each other and a whole new dynamic. Having sophomores on the team can add an element of inexperience. Players who have only one year of high school football may not be as qualified, compared to The juniors and seniors on the team. team, with so many seniors Luckily for the sophomores, has a depth of expethe team has plenty of quali- rience it has rarely seen fied leaders to pave the way for leadership and hard work. ”Varsity is a much faster paced team but we have great leaders that will mentor the new sophomores and teach them the ropes of varsity,” said Jonah Covert, a captain. Alongside the new sophomores, there are different captains for this year’s team. Each of the new captains were voted on by the rest of JAXEN SCHNEIDER, A SENIOR, runs past the defense for a first down. The Falcons would go on to lose against Gilbert 30 - 14. 4 Blake Dorame the team. The captains will work alongside Michael Hudnutt, the head coach of varsity and the rest dedication alone will not carry this of those being captains: Cole respected and not only good ath- Teaching the younger players the year’s team to the playoffs. Working Crucitrone, Matthew MacDonald, letes, but good students,” said ropes of Varsity will play a huge of the team. “Not only our players, but our as a team and having a desire to be Broc Arrendale, and Jonah Covert. Hudnut. Being a well-rounded part in the team's record this seacaptains care about winning games successful will prove to be a key Having four senior captains will captain will help other teammate. son. The 27 seniors are expected Hudnutt has emphasized that he add more experience to the team. and making it deep into the play- point. “We have a group of guys that is requiring leadership from not to help set the standard for the 27 seniors are committed to offs,” said Covert. A commitment to the game and playing varsity this year, four are great leaders, they’re well only the captains, but all 27 seniors. younger teams below them.

OPINION

Avianna Hoppes sports editor

Women’s soccer deserves equal pay

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team are world champions for the fourth time. Undoubtedly, they are the best in the world at what they do. Meanwhile the Men’s National Team has never won a World Cup. The only time they ever even placed was in 1930, when they got third. As a matter of fact they did not even qualify for the most recent World Cup. Despite all this, the women still get paid less than the

men. All players on the roster for the recent Women’s World Cup are currently suing U.S. Soccer Federation for equal pay, claiming that they are being discriminated against because of their gender. Many people who are against this lawsuit are claiming that the women do not deserve to be paid as much as the men because they do not bring in as much revenue as the men do. That

is a valid point, except that it is not true. According to CNN and The Washington Post, the Women have generated close to 900,000 dollars more than the men have and despite bringing in more revenue, the men not only get paid more, but also have more money put into training facilities. Since this seems to be the only legitimate argument against the women winning the lawsuit, and it is not even true, so there really is no reason

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS GOOD SPORTS

September 20, 2019 ● 23

One last ride

Seniors prepare for their final season By Kolton O’Connor staff writer

A student who transfers from one school to another school is ineligible in the sport involved for one year from the date of attendance at the receiving school. A student who is a member of a school team shall not practice, have practiced or compete with any other group, club, organization, association, etc. When an ineligible player participates in a contest, the member school must automatically forfeit all contests in which the player participated. If an AIA contest official, determines that a coach or player has acted in an unsportsmanlike manner during either a period or intermission, the coach or player may be ordered to leave the contest It’s the responsibility of member schools to report to the AIA any violation of AIA rules and regulations.

] Zachary Valentine

sports - page 22- sep 20 2019

SOPHIA SANCHEZ, A JUNIOR, participates in the cheer team’s routine during the annual Big Blue pep rally on August 30. Sanchez is a second year varisty member. 4 Blake Dorame

Pom and Cheer put pep into rally By Nia Sogaard staff writer

September

will have a big problem on their hands. There will no doubt be public outrage and many lost supporters of USSA, FIFA, and maybe even men’s soccer in the U.S.. These incredible women have no doubt left their mark, not only winning on the field, but also the hearts of America, and if they do not legally win their lawsuit, well it is safe to say they have won the support and sympathy of Americans everywhere.

why the women should be paid less. The Women have already won, maybe not legally, but they have won over the support of America, and maybe even the rest of the world. After chants of “equal pay” were shouted at the FIFA director during their medal ceremony in France this year, it is clear that they are backed by the full support of soccer fans everywhere. If somehow, the women lose the lawsuit; well then USSA

Sports - page 21- sep 20 2019

New AIA rules this season

1 2 3 4 5

September 20, 2019 ● 21

Football, led by 27 seniors, prepares for upcoming games

HE CHEER AND pom

teams as well as the coaches have been working together and practicing their routines to perform during competitions this year. The Big Blue pep rally serves as an opportunity for the teams to practice. “This group is awesome, they are a really great group this year,” said Haley Vago, coach of the varsity Pom Team. “They are all really super hard-working girls super dedicated and motivated to their craft. I’ve had nothing but awesome practices with them.” This year, the cheer and pom teams performed their hip-hop routine at the first pep rally the school year. “We usually do the same routines for the pep rallies as we do halftimes,” said Campbell Honing, a sophomore on Varsity Pom, “but this year we are doing a hiphop theme because we try to do the more fun routines for the pep rally.” There is a lot to do to pre-

pare for performing in a pep rally. The cheerleaders usually start preparing a few weeks beforehand to learn and perfect their routines and making sure that they all look put together for the student body. Cheer and Pom girls take their job very seriously in terms of performing. The cheerleaders spend ten hours a week practicing, and occasionally have to get up early for morning practices. “Something that is very stressful is competitions because you don’t want to let your team down, so you don’t want to mess up,” said Honing, “If something bad happens, we start to fall apart so we all have to be able to work together.” Because they work as a team, cheerleaders look to themselves not to make a mistake. Many are very dedicated to cheer because they plan on using it for the future, so they will be very self-critical to reach these goals. “A lot of the girls want to be on a dance or cheer team in college, so I think they are seeing how much skill you need to be on a college team,

and it is translating down into highschool,” said Haley Vago, coach of varsity pom. On the other hand, cheer and pom girls express a passion for what they do, and

BELLA DURSO, A SOPHOMORE, dances

alongside side the rest of her varsity pom teamates, during the Big Blue pep rally. 4Blake Dorame

for the people that they work with. “It’s super fun to be involved with the school and get to cheer the footballers on at the games. I love working with my team and we all get along very well. We’ve become best friends,” said Honing. With the stress that comes with the responsibility of being on a cheer team, cheerleaders try to make an effort to take some of this pressure off so they can work well under high-stress situations. “At the beginning of the season, we do team bonding exercises, and before we perform at competitions we sing songs like ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ together. It brings us closer together,” said Eliya Rogoff, a sophomore on varsity cheer. Through all of the obstacles and stresses of being on a school cheer and pom team, the cheerleaders have proved to be victorious, with the cheer team winning national championships twice, and the pom team winning state competitions for the past three years as well as the National Championship in 2017.

Seniors are gearing up for their final year of sports at Cactus Shadows, seniors don’t want it to end but they want to have their best year yet while setting the tone for future generations. “This is the last time most of us will play sports so we want to try and come out on top but It’s sad that this is our last year together and it will be sad when it all ends but we continue to push each other to be better,” said Peyton Richardson, a senior on the basketball team. For most athletes, senior year of highschool is where it all ends. Most of the players have grown up together and have known each other for a long time, so senior year is their last chance to make an impact on the sports teams at the school. “Choosing the captains is about more than just who’s the best player but who sets the best example and who is a true leader”. Said Michael Hudnutt the varsity football coach A lot of seniors feel additional pressure to be the best they can be and set an example to other players and their classmates. “Yes [I feel added pressure] because we’re the oldest and we run the show and coaches expect more from us,” said Jaxen Schneider, a senior on the football team. This year, the football team has more seniors than last year, which makes for a much different dynamic. .There's always two sides to a story and some of the benefits to having more seniors is more leadership but there could be drawbacks with all these seniors wanting to make a difference in there last year . “We have more seniors this year and I’m excited to see how far we can go and I think we have a very strong team and I feel like we could end up having a really good season,” said Schneider Many players are inspired by their parents and the sports they did in high school, this is something Richardson agrees with. “My dad played college basketball and I kind of inherited his genes and I always enjoyed playing basketball and I formed a brotherhood like no other when I started playing basketball in highschool,” said Richardson. One of the most important aspects of being a senior on a team is being the role models for the younger group so that they can improve throughout the season. Seniors are feeling confident in their teams this year. With this being the last year of seniors playing their sport, they are dedicated to playing their best and making it a memorable last year. “Hopefully, we will have a good year and make a run at a regional championship,” said Richardson This is most likely the seniors last chance to show everybody what they worked so hard for. For there four years at cactus shadows.

8 New coaches this year Haley Vago- Varsity Pom Tia Raught- JV Pom Charlie Ulrich- JV Football- HC/OC Dan Vasily- Freshman Football -HC/OC Jim Marando-Boys Golf Lauren Bewick- Varsity Volleyball Cesar Rojas- Varsity Wrestling Danica Gianni- Varsity Softball

] Dylan Lies

Good Sports

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

October 18, 2019 ● 21

No losses, no problem The volleyball team starts the season undefeated Max Hancock staff writer

The girls volleyball program this year is preparing for another winning season with new coaches and an experienced team. There are currently seven seniors on varsity. “We definitely have a lot of new players because a lot of our seniors left. We all bond on and off the court,” said Keylee Harvey, senior captain of the varsity team. Harvey is one of many this year who will be diving into a new season with an already undefeated record. State is in sight for varsity, with JV and freshmen also trying to go undefeated. The program has finished undefeated in their season for two years in a row, winning their region. The volleyball program has depth from all grades, including a whole new batch of freshmen players already making a name for themselves this The season, with three freshmen on JV and two on team has varsity. talented players from “It’s a lot more fun than club and a lot easall grade ier. I’d say the team works better together,” levels said Sloane Taylor, a freshman on the freshmen team. Taylor is alongside a whole new squad of freshman players who are hoping to continue the legacy of an undefeated season. Taylor, has been apart of several local volleyball clubs, offering experience and knowledge of the game to prepare the team for this ongoing season. The varsity team will be led by Lauren Bewick, a new coach this year. This will be Bewick's first year coaching the varsity volleyball team. An experienced and knowledgeable coach will prove to be useful this year as the Falcons take on yet another group of opponents. “I want the girls to be mentally strong when they're done, both on and off the court.” said Bewick. Accompanying Bewick, Harvey will work alongside the coaches, displaying leadership. Harvey will help the team raise the bar and hopefully achieve a successful title this year. However, much preparation is required to have a successful season. “We go through our rotation and the plays we’re going to run,” said Gigi Procopio, a sophomore on the JV team. HIGH HOPS, Kamryn Gibadlo, a freshman, and Lauren Wamsley, a junior, go up to block the middle hitter. The Falcons went on to The Falcon’s next game in on October 21 against Desert sweep Paradise Valley 3-0. 4 Logan McDade Mountain.

Boys volleyball team still missing from school program Callahan Schwartz staff writer

There is no boys volleyball team at Cactus Shadows, mainly due to a lack of funding and Title IX, a Federal Law which requires schools to have an equal number of sports teams for each sex. “It is my hope to bring these sports on, but I can not say in how long,” said Tandehl Collentine, Assistant Principal of Operations/Resources and Athletic Director.Title IX is a federal law that works to ensure equality between boys and girls teams. In 1972 when it was cre-

ated, girls had much less opportunities than boys to play on a school team. Since its inception, that has changed, and now there are equal opportunities for both sexes to play sports at school. Because there are an equal amount of boys and girls sports teams at Cactus Shadows, in order to add a boys volleyball team, an additional girls sport would have to be added as well. Sand volleyball is being considered as an option. “I know all the girls volleyball players would love to do that because I have talked to them

about it. So I definitely think Sand Volleyball would be the sport to be added for girls,” said Cedric Brachet, a senior who plays volleyball. According to WatchBlog, a government accountability office, “Title IX is a law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education programs or activities that receive federal funds—including those at public high schools.” While volleyball does not have the same amount of popularity as football among boys in highschool, there is some inter-

est. Currently, the only option for those boys is to play on club teams, which can cost up to $3,000 a year, according to the Arizona Fear Volleyball Club website. “There has not been enough push for it and not enough boys have stepped up and asked for it,” said Eden Cislo, a senior who played volleyball for the school freshman year. Athletic trainers have a ratio that has to be maintained relative to the amount of players during each season of sports. “One more thing you have to

look at when bringing on new sports is the athletic trainer. Because we have to have a ratio,” said Collentine. Since Cactus Shadows does not get money grants for sports, it will be up to the players and the community to raise money for the team. “Just because we are bringing on new sports, we are not going to raise the pay-to-play for everyone,” said Collentine. Adding sand volleyball is the most likely option. It has the highest amount of support compared to the other options.

Sports - page 22- October 2019 22 ● October 18, 2019

GOOD SPORTS

On the Rocks Students share their unique experiences on rock climbing

Sports - page 21- October 2019

Jaden Lea staff writer

Sports - page 23- October 2019 THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

Kolton O’Connor staff writer

October 18, 2019 ● 23

GOOD SPORTS

League changes helmet requirements

ECAUSE OF NEW helmet standards, sthe NFL is forcing players to switch helmets this season because of their new helmet standards. There are now only a certain number of helmets to choose from. “I know that they [NFL] banned some of the older helmets because they want the players to be safer and the other ones were dangerous,” said Tate Andrus, a sophomore football player. The NFL bans older helmets and forces players to use a helmet that is regulated by the NFL. People are having mixed reactions about this decision. The NFL claims that they are trying to keep players safe, but some players just want to play. “I don’t know a whole lot about the helmets, but I know that some players like Antonio Brown are complaining and refusing to play without their helmets,” said AJ Stenger, a sophomore football player. Antonio Brown, who is one of the top wide

receivers in football, refused to play or practice unless he could use his old helmet. Brown has been one of the few players to fight back against the new rules. “I think the helmet you wear affects play on the field, but I feel that being safe is more important especially since I’ve had some concussions in the past,” said Stenger. Concussions are very common amongst football players and every year less and less people are playing due to this. There have been many cases of players playing through concussions and there brain has significant damage later in life. “I think if you don’t use the proper protection, football is a dangerous sport,” said Andrus. When players do not use the proper equipment, they could be seriously injured. There have been many injuries because of poor equipment in every level of football. If players do not use the equipment correctly, they could also be injured. When people lead with their heads, their head/neck could be in danger.

“The state has helmet regulations that keep players safe and we all have the same helmets and there pretty good, I feel safe when I play,” said Andrus. The Cactus Shadows football team all have the same helmets that are regulated by the state. Helmet rules are being changed and updated in every level of football due to recent research about players brains after a football career. “There's extra padding and visors that you can buy to add more protection,” said Andrus. Outside of the helmet itself, there is not a whole lot that players can do to add more protection. Athletes can buy extra padding for the helmet which could make their helmet safer but that is pretty much it. “At the varsity level, teams are very physical and the pace of the game is quick,” said Michael Hudnutt the varsity football coach Football is a naturally physical sport and the older kids get, the harder teams hit and the faster they play, which results in more injuries and could be dangerous if they are not wearing the right equipment or using it incorrectly.

Varsity player out with season ending injury Raven Ramirez travel editor

Varsity football running back and defensive back, Jaxen Schneider, re-tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season. Schneider has been playing football ever since he was in elementary school. When his parents got him into this sport, he fell in love with it and has not stopped since then. Schneider first tore his ACL during the summer of his junior year and then tore it again this year during the first football game against Gilbert on August 30th. He was jumping up for a pass and landed on it wrong when he came back down from the jump. Scheider was mainly scared that he tore his ACL again. He was worried how it would affect him and his passion for football. When he and his team found out that he tore his ACL once again, it was very devastating. “A pro to this injury would probably be that I get a better outlook on life, like don’t take anything for granted and sometimes life sucks and there’s nothing you can do about it, but life moves on and so do I,” said Schneider. Just because Schneider cannot play on the field, does not mean he is any less a part of the team. He still goes to all of the practices. “Jaxen had a pretty positive attitude towards his injury, and he’s a ball boy at the games, and helps the running backs out at the practices,” said Tyler Reynolds, the quarterback. Schneider hopes to pursue this sport throughout college next year, but he does have another year of rehab to help recover from his injury. He is still undecided about playing in college, but he will try to recover well and get to pursue this dream of his. “It’s definitely a very sad thing because they are not used to only him and his ability out there, but his leadership that he brings when he’s out playing on the field. He did take a step back from that, but he is doing a great job on the sidelines, and keeping that momentum going. I think the track team is also going to hurt this year without having him out there,” said Tandehl Collentine, the athletic director. Schneider has been pulled from his favorite sport from this ACL injury but that does not prevent him from being PLAYING THROUGH THE PAIN, Jaxen Schneider, a senior, re-tears his ACL in the first there for his teammates and his school. game of the season against Gilbert. Schneider will miss the remainder of the season. McDade

4 Logan

Opinion

College athletes should not be paid By Avianna Hoppes sports editor

On September 30, California Governor Gavin Newsom passed a new law that would allow college athletes in the state to make money. Although the law does not go into effect until 2023, it has caused controversy for the NCAA, once again reigniting the debate of whether or not college athletes should be paid. Although arguments can be made for both sides, a stronger case can be made against college athletes receiving money. No one disagrees that college athletes have to work harder and have a much busier schedule than regular college students, but they should not be paid. Student-athletes already receive enough compensation through scholarships. They often get their entire four years of college paid for, just because they are good at a sport. Regular students who work extremely hard to have amazing grades do not even receive as much financial aid as college athletes do. These athletes also have an easier time getting into tough schools like Stanford and Notre Dame, and they do not even have to pay for them either. People often forget that those athletes already receive so much money for scholarships that they often waste by under-performing in the classroom. There is no reason why college athletes should get even more compensation than they already do. If college athletes were to get paid, the NCAA would have another problem with dealing with how to fairly pay each athlete. If they paid some athletes more than others, they would face public backlash, but if they paid each athlete equally they would lose money. It is a lose-lose situation for the NCAA. Many argue that student athletes should be paid because the NCAA makes money off of their hard work and although that is a valid point, athletes still receive so much compensation in terms of scholarship money. One solution might be to have professional leagues such as the NFL and NBA allow players to be drafted straight out of high school, just like the MLB and NHL. That way athletes who actually want to receive an education could still go to college. The schools wouldn’t waste scholarships on athletes who do not want to be there and would instead give those scholarships to people who actually want them.

Rock climbing is a fun sport for students who want a thrill by hopping in the car and heading to a local climbing gym or outdoor spot. Rock climbing is an activity in which people climb up, down, and across natural or artificial rock walls. The main goal of rock climbing is to make it to a set destination that’s at the top of the wall formation without falling. There are many different types of climbing and many different ways to do it such as free solo-ing, bouldering, and toproping. Top-roping is the most common form of rock climbing, which involves a rope that is already hanging from the top of the rock wall being attached to a harness worn by the climber to prevent falling to their death as well as other injuries that could be sustained. Bouldering is a lot different than other types of climbing, due to there not being any ropes or harnesses. Bouldering is when a climber scales up a rock formation that is much smaller than normal and uses pads at the bottom to prevent the climber from getting hurt when they fall or jump down. Climbing is a sport with a lot of action and work that uses primarily upper body muscles. “I believe that some of the most important muscles used in climbing is the core and the forearms, which are pretty sore after almost every climb,“ said Andrew Cupo, a teacher who rock climbs. There are exercises to improve the climbing abilities that are done in order to help climbers progress and succeed in harder routes. “We do different exercises that target specific strengths at practice as well as mental exercises to help improve my climbing abilities,” said JoJo Bedrava, a senior who has been climbing for seven years. Rock climbing takes time and skill that is crucial in order to progress and increase the

skill level. Practice helps climbers improve their abilities as well as their comfortability while on the rocks. “When I climb, I usually climb for three to four hours, five days a week “ said Bedrava. There’s a lot of effort that goes into climbing. However, a lot of people just climb for the joy of it. “My favorite part about climbing is the atmosphere that surrounds it, and the people are super chill and nice to be around,“ said Camden Liu, a junior who has been climbing for four months. Another style of climbing is free-solo-ing which is considered the most dangerous style of climbing. Free solo-ing involves a climber scaling up a large rock formation without any ropes or gear, meaning there are no breaks or pauses. This is a very difficult form of climbing that causes the climber to use a lot of strength and have a lot of endurance to prevent them from falling. If the climber falls, they often die or sustain serious injuries and there is no way around it. When that high up in the air, there is no time for nervousness or doubt because one wrong move, and they fall to their death. Gear is not only limited to the harnesses and ropes used, but the chalk and shoes that are important when climbing. “When I climb and the wall is slippery, I use chalk to help me get better holds and grip things easier,'' said Andrew Barab Shedd, a junior who has been climbing for eight months. Things such as chalk help keep climbers from slipping and falling due to the dryness of it, which helps when they start to sweat or the surface is wet.

REACHING NEW HIEGHTS, Andrew Barab

Shedd, a junior, climbs on a course during his practice at AZ On the Rocks. Shedd has been climbing for eight months. 4 Miah Thirion

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

t e a r s h e e t s

October

t e a r s h e e t s

What GIVES in D.C.?

c the

press

the newspaper of Cactus Shadows High School in Scottsdale, Arizona

By Avianna Hoppes editor in cheifww

INSIDE

the CSPress

November 15, 2019 Volume 11, Number 3

CHINESE HONORS SOCIETY MEETS

travel- page 11- nov 15 2019

SENIOR SEASON

Hockey seniors reflect on their time playing. See hockey on page 22

Find out about what happens during the Chinese Honors Society meetings. See on page 3

Travel

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

Front page - page 21- nov 15 2019

November 15, 2019 ● 11

EXPLORING FRONTIER TOWN

Sam Kuhn, a Cactus Shadows alum, enjoys walking around town. Frontier Town has long provided visitors with Arizona-themed trinkets.

a Avianna Hoppes

Sports - page 21- nov 15 2019 THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

November 15, 2019 ● 23

GOOD SPORTS

Sports med students prepare for upcoming seasons

Sports - page 21- nov 15 2019

Local places to take visitors from out of town

By Colin Mesenbrink staff writer

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS, Ashlyn Overby, a senior outside hitter, hits the ball off of a set from sophomore setter Bella Quinn. The Falcons went on to sweep Paradise Valley 3-0. 4Logan McDade

Volleyball team suffers season ending loss in state playoff game By Jaden Lea staff writer

The girls volleyball team this year has worked through the season to make it to the state level bracket. Volleyball has a specific set of rules that include only six players on the court at a time, with three in the front and three in the back, rally point scoring, and no two consecutive hits from the same players. The Varsity team has a record of 23 wins 9 ties and 1 loss, according to maxpreps. com. Many of the players have been playing for a long time and plan to play in college. The focus and hard work has helped the team win in their bracket and reach the state level of playing. “We’ve been practicing really hard as well as having intense training sessions

and focusing a lot on what we can do to win, “ said Isabella Procopio, a senior on varsity. The team’s regular season record has led them to a state playoff berth. However, despite their record, there are always things to improve, therefore the team must continue to make changes to prepare for State. Although they have been doing well and have been focusing on making State by practicing hard, it is important that they work on improving in the areas that they are not as strong in. “I think that the team needs to improve on serves, as well as communication which will help strengthen the team as a whole and prepare us for State,” said Lauren Wamsley, a junior on

varsity. The team owns a dominant record, with their only regular season loss coming from Horizon. There are many key components that a team must have in order to be successful, and it is important for teammates to keep growing as players and get along well with each other. “I think that the team has worked really hard this season to be mentally strong and I think that they’ve learned to overcome a lot of obstacles and that’s what lead them to this point, and what is going to help them during state, “ said Lauren Bewick, the varsity coach. There are seven seniors who are trying to lead this team to a State championship this year.

The Sports Medicine program has been growing this year with the need of medical attention for every sport, gaining more recognition for the Sports Medicine interns. “The interns really help the athletes out and we can see them at school and check up on them. We’re able to get close with the sports teams and give them someone they can trust that is a medical personnel,” said Caleb Payne, a junior in the club. Members of the sports medicine program are able to gain a better relationship with athletes and teams at school. They are taught how to aid or test for many injuries for every sport and learn a lot about how sports medicine works impacts the world as a whole. The class inspires students to pursue a career involving sports medicine after high school and lets them see the benefits that come with a career in sports medicine. “It’s a huge benefit when you have multiple sports happening at the same time, Joe [the head trainer] is able to split his interns and have people at every event to help with minor injuries, ice and water. If something were to happen, Joe would be called and be able to come to the event where an injury took place,” said Tandehl Collentine, the athletic director. Interns see a lot of different types of injuries in every sport, making it crucial that they know what steps to take to deal with every type of injury that occurs in high school sports. They have seen everything from concussions to ankle sprains or even broken bones, making it mandatory that they know how to perform these steps on each injury under the pressure. “The most common injuries we see are ankle sprains. The most useful things we have learned are how to deal with those ankle injuries or how to clean out a cut,” said Brandon Youngkrantz, a senior, who is also in the club. Sports medicine can create a sense of community in high school, growing the relationships with members in the program, but also with athletes on the teams. Interns get to spend time with their peers while learning more about sports medicine in the real world, making it easier to relate to others in the medical field. Interns can take the information they learn in high school and apply it to real life situations. “The benefits of sports medicine are creating bonds with the athletes and knowing how to help them if you play a sport and one of your teammates gets hurt during a practice or game when Joe (head athletic trainer/sports med teacher) is not there,” said Youngkrantz. There are now 11 interns and over 30 students who have joined the program or class recently. Students can sign up for the class at the beginning of each year as an elective. The interns stress how fun the sports medicine class can really and how useful the information can be in everyday life.

Hayley Smith staff writer

Thanksgiving break is the prime time for family get-togethers and fun vacations. Students and their families welcome friends and family, eager to show them what makes Cave Creek and Arizona so special. There are plenty of things to do in the large city of Phoenix, ranging from shopping centers, to unique food places, hiking trails and nature exhibits that showcase the beauty of the Arizona desert.

Food Coffee is always popular with visitors, and Cave Creek has a few choices. Janeys, the Grotto and Local Johnnys are all located downtown, and each has a different vibe. In addition, Dutch Brothers just opened on Cave Creek. Unique to the West Coast states, the company is well-known for their various types of coffee drinks. I would recommend Dutch Bros because it’s a good place to socialize and a lot of people my age go there. In and Out is a good place to eat because it’s a big part of Arizona and it’s only a couple of other West Coast states,” I would recommend Dutch Bros because it’s a good place to socialize and a lot of people my age go there. In-NOut is a good place to eat because it’s a big part of Arizona and it’s

only a couple of other West Coast such as Vineyard Vines coming in states,” said KenzieTHE Knoop, a senior. 2020. CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS Food-wise, visitors are sure to enjoy Big Earls, located in the heart Outdoors of Cave Creek. Owned by a Cactus “If your company has never been Shadow alum, the restaurant offers to the desert, the Botanical Garden a variety of burgers and a patio that is a perfect place to see an array of provides a view of passersby. desert plants and beautiful scenery unique to Arizona. If your company enjoys hiking, I recommend Shop Another thing to do with visitors Camelback Mountain and Jewel of is shop. Frontier Town, located in the Creek,” said Sean Smith, a Cave downtown Cave Creek, has a vari- Creek resident. The Desert Botanical Garden, ety of small boutique stores filled with tourist items, such as Indian located in the heart of Phoenix, is blankets, wind chimes, lotions, a 55-acre collection of over 1,000 different species of plants. The candles and more. For more traditional shopping, Garden is a great way to see and head south to one of several malls, learn about certain plants that are filled with big name stores like unique to the state. Customers can Nordstrom, Anthropologie, J Crew experience the Arizona desert for under $30. and more. “The Quarter, Desert Ridge and Fashion Square are really cool For the avid hikers, places you can’t see anywhere Camelback Mountain is a tradeelse. Since Arizona has really good mark of Phoenix skyline. Tourists weather we can hang outside,” can see the peak from almost any said Hanaë Couturier, a French point in the city. The hike is about exchange student who stayed in 3.1 miles long and features beautiCave Creek last year. ful views of the valley. Scottsdale Quarter, also known Closer to home, the Jewel of as the Quarter, is an outdoor the Creek is a unique hiking trail shopping mall featuring stores located in the Spur Cross wilderRUNNERS UP, Annah Nyburg, a junior, Julia Lundgren, a senior, and Karli Neff, a freshlike Express, Apple, Lululemon, ness at They therun end ofseven Spur man, run duringa practice rdays before area Sectionals. five to milesCross for practice 4Avianna Hoppes everyday. Sephora, and Nike. Located on Road in Cave Creek. Because it is Scottsdale Road and Greenway, the not too difficult, the trail is a good Quarter is also working on add- option for visiting families with ing more stores in the near future, children.

Good Travel Sports playlist

staff writer

GOOD SPORTS

Seniors opt to miss their last season

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

By Colin Mesenbrink staff writer

Over the years, students in high school sports have been known to quit playing their sport before senior year, leaving others wondering why students stop playing before such a crucial and memorable senior season. “I think students quit their sport because they realize that they are not going to play in college and they are not willing to dedicate extra time to their sport while they could be working and making money instead,” said Gaetano Gianni, health/ physical education teacher and baseball coach. Students have reported that there are various reasons why they have quit their sport before senior year. Some might say that the love for the game is just not there anymore, while others have deeper reasons that prevent them from playing. One of the most common reasons is that they would rather have a job, helping them save money for after high school. Although students miss playing high school sports, some have decided that making money and having jobs are more important, once they reach a certain point in high school. “I miss the game experiences, but I do not regret not playing because sometimes you just have to make that cash,” said Noah Bahoura, a junior. Other reasons students quit sports in high school include the stress that comes with a busy schedule. Many students understand that school is a priority, while also wanting to compete at the highest level in their sport. In some sports, students must practice every day and attend many meetings or events that come with the sport. This can lead to a lot of stress while trying to manage their time between schoolwork and practice, making students lose the passion for the game. “I quit my sport because it just was not as enjoyable as when I first started. It took a lot of my time and effort. We were practicing 15 hours a week with competitions every saturday. It was a really big commitment that I was not in to anymore. We would have morning and afternoon practices throughout the whole week. It would be stressful to have a day like that and also have homework and a job on top of it,” said Lola Draper, a former member of cheer. For whatever the reason is, the trend of students quitting high school sports before senior year has increased recently.

November

OPINION

Avianna Hoppes sports editor

staff writer

win meets because of their chemistry with the sport. However, it does create more will separate into their own group and competition because some younger runners that are really good are run in a freshman only unable to move up to varrace. The JV and Varsity sity because of how many teams are split up into seniors are on the team. It a girls team and a boys also means that they will not team. have those veteran runners “Our team definitely Travel is of staying back for next season. in one didnot the for besteveryone. we could, Some people enjoy the stability “Itthe wasmove, a great season whichfor turned out to that love to constantly be on place. But, the people there are an with kids doing well. Both be amazing,” abundance of jobssaid thatIan pay their employees to travel. teams boys and girls qualiWalford, a junior on varfied forTravel state. State will be sity. JOBS THAT DON’T REQUIRE A COLLEGE EDUCATION: blogging, fun November 16th. The boys Boys varsity placed yacht sailing, bartending, and local travel guides. finished sectionals in 5th very high in a lot of their place and the girls placed meets and same with DECENT SALARIES: Considering the fact that a degree is not required, these 3rd,” said Tandhel Collentine, the girls team. Every jobs pay reasonably well. For example, people who teach English abroad can the Athletic Director. year they have a goal to earn upimprove to $4,000 month. As the Junior Varsity Cross on thea things Country team had an unforthe team needs to work UPSIDES: According to a story in The Atlantic magazine, the brain benefits gettable season in the books, on. This year the team from travel. Traveling to different cities, states, or countries provides thetobrain and there are hopes are did exactly that. do the experiences same thing nexthave year “The team was really of scenery. Also, cross-cultural with a refreshing change Ian Walford on varsity replacing all the good this year and I the potential to pull people out ofJunior theironcultural and in doing so, can varsity bubbles, seniors leaving. hope they do really increase their sense of connection with people from backgrounds different well in the upcoming than their own.said As well as promoting creativity, travel broadens the mind and seasons,” Kendall try team, like there is for other sports, but

thereSmith are some meets where the freshman 3Hayley

“

Get paid to see the world

Our team definitely did the best we could, which turned out to be amazing,”

can allow people to have a first-hand look at various religions and traditions.

3Gianna Lazzaro

World ranked gymnast trains for Olympics

By Kolton O’Connor

22 ● November 15, 2019

November 15, 2019 ● 21

Cross Country finishes regular season, prepares for postseason

Island in the Sun - Weezer Take you Higher (Radio Edit) - Hook N Sling & Goodwill Down By the River - Milky Chance Cigarette Daydreams - Cage the Elephant Electric Love - BØRNS Fender, a senior on varsity. By Zachary Valentine Many seniors were a part of the team Way ItThe Goes - Hippo Campus season for the varsity cross coun- this year, which is very helpful for having try teamGirls is coming an end and they have a big team to lead.. Having four year parCalifornia - toNoMBe hopes of making State. So far, they have ticipants on the same team can really give an advantage to the younger participants season full of winning, and the same ComehadAa Little Closer - Cage the Elephant because they can learn a lot from them. can be said for Junior Varsity team. When There the Levee Breakscross - Led Zeppelin Four year participants can also help teams is not a freshman coun-

Jace Williams is a world ranked gymnast and trampolinist who competes in countries all over the world. He participates in competitions year-round to eventually attempt to compete in the Olympics, by constantly practicing and training multiple nights a week. Williams started early and has not looked back. When he was little he was always jumping around the house and rolling around on the floor, so when his parents put him in gymnastics and he was able to let out some of that energy that he was trying to hold back. “When I was four I was

always jumping on the bed and my parents put me in gymnastics,” said Williams, a sophomore. Training is necessary to succeed. Sixteen hours a week of practicing is a lot for a student, especially one who if training for a world championship. Making up assignments and tests after missing a week of school can cause added stress for Williams. Four hours a day and four days a week so it's a pretty big time commitment and sometimes it is hard to catch up on the school stuff I missed,” said Williams. Williams competes with North Valley Gymnastics and has met multiple friends through the team. All of the time spent prac-

ticing and all of the sacrifices he makes to compete in world championships is all worth it because of the experiences he has in other countries and the friendships he has made. “My favorite thing about gymnastics is the traveling because I get to go to countries like Spain and Tokyo and I’ve met a lot of close friends through gymnastics,” said Williams. Williams is always working and continues to put in effort to eventually become an olympian. His teammates and coaches truly believe that he could be an Olympian. “He’s really talented. I think he has a chance at going to the olympics like he’s going to tokyo for

another world competition, even though he was just in spain for a competition,” said Eliya Rogoff, a former teammate as well as friend of Williams. Williams has put in a lot of effort to become a world known trampolinist and he continued to work hard in order to improve and move up to the next level. He puts in full effort at practice and he gets results. “He’s a very hard worker and he really puts 110% into all his training sessions,” said Chelsea Rainer, his coach. His end goal is to become an Olympian and he is well on his way. He has put in a lot of time and effort all working toward this goal.

“

When I was four I was always jumping on the bed and my parents put me in gymnastics,” Jace Williams

a sophomore gymnast

JUMPING FOR GOLD , Jace Williams, a sophomore, heads to international competitions for trampoline. 4Miah Thirion

Sports - page 22- nov 15 2019 ICE ICE BABY, Ethan Hinnant, a senior, scores a goal during a game against Corona Del Sol. The Falcons would go on to loose this

game 7-2.

4 Avianna Hoppes

Hockey seniors reflect on final season By Raven Ramirez travel editor

The 2019-2020 hockey season has begun and it is the seniors last year of the sport they have been playing since they were young. Lars Shumitz is a senior this year and it is his final year playing his high school sport, hockey. He got into this sport because of his dad, who played a lot growing up, and so Shumitz naturally got into it. This team is close, like family and they are all really good friends, so they mess around with each other and bond together. Every now and then the team likes to hang out with each other or they sometimes do team bonding things, like rock climbing or go carts. “The whole team has a lot more talent this year and we are capitalizing on it for sure,” said Shumitz. Hockey is not an AIA sanctioned sport.

An AIA sanctioned sport is one that the school promotes. This means that this sport does not go through the school at all, including funding, physicals, etc. This school hockey team is run outside of the school, so it is considered a club sport. “If this was an AIA sport, then they would have you know the grade checks, the same payments, all of that, “said Tandehl Collentine, Athletic Director. Another senior, Ethan Hinnant, has been playing hockey for about six years now. He got into this sport, thanks to his older brother and he has been playing ever since. Hinnant’s favorite thing about the sport is scoring goals to help his team out during the game. He has not just played hockey his whole life, he has played every sport throughout his life, but hockey was the sport he stuck to for six whole years. “I chose hockey because it is fast paced and there is a lot of hitting involved,” said

Hinnant. Their next game is November 17th against Flagstaff.

ON THIN ICE, Curtis Weber, a senior, fights for the puck against his opponent from the Carona Aztecs in the first peroid of the game. 4Avianna Hoppes

School should start drug testing athletes

School administrators may decide to start drug testing all student athletes for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. If implemented, athletes would be tested for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), nicotine, and marijuana. The school has not yet made a formal announcement about it, nor have they said what the consequences are if a student tests positive. Although there may be some gray area in terms of students who have a medical marijuana card, drug testing is a good idea if done properly. As long

has students are given a warning and a chance to get clean, then it is perfectly fair. It will not only benefit the integrity of the teams at the school, but it will also force many kids to stop using nicotine products, such as Juuls and other types of vapes. Another reason why it is a good idea, is that there are probably more high school students using PEDs than people realize (whether they are knowingly using or not). Drug testing will help students pay better attention to and be more care-

ful about what they are putting in their bodies, which will help them in the long run. Many argue that drug testing student athletes might make some students decide to quit their sport, thus overall hurting the school’s sports teams. However, other local high schools have started drug testing and are still doing fine. For example, Pinnacle High School drug tests, and, although they have a few players suspended or kicked of their team in a few different sports, the school’s sports program as a whole

is doing perfectly okay, so why would Cactus Shadows be any different? The school has not said how they will drug test, but if they do decide to drug test then students should be given a warning at least a few months in advance so that way they have a chance to get clean. The consequences of failing a drug test should be the same for every athlete on every team, no exceptions. As long as it is done properly and fairly, drug testing will help both the school and the students in the long run.

Sports - page 23- nov 15 2019

occer

Good Sports

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

December 20, 2019 ● 21

Girls hoops are shooting for State The Varsity team continues to blow-out opponents as they rank in the top five in state

Sports - page 21- dec 202019

Multi-sport athletes share their story Zachary Valentine staff writer

PLAYING FOR FIRST Sabrina Lazo, a senior, dribbles through defenders on her way to scoring. The Falcons beat Sierra Linda 55-15 on December 3.

4 Logan McDade

Jaden Lea staff writer

HE GIRLS VARSITY basketball team

has started their season with six wins and one loss. To continue this winning season, the team will focus on their schedule of daily practices after school. “I think that the biggest thing to being a

player at the varsity level is to be coachable and having the passion to want to improve your skill set on your own time,“ said Brook Rodgers, a senior who plays point guard.

Practice The team practices after school Monday through Friday for two hours, and do an occasional Saturday practice to get in extra time on the court. Practicing is a big piece of how the team plays and it shows throughout their games. Preparation before a game is a key factor that can lead to a team’s win or loss. The preparation done before the games can vary for different teams, based on what they feel should be done. “We prepare for our games by coming in early to watch the younger teams play as well as shooting before the games to get warmed up and ready to play,“ said Hailey Garalczyk, a senior who plays forward.

Coaching

SHOOTING FOR THREE, freshman Sierra

Labuwi shoots a three pointer in the win. The team is currently ranked fith in state. 4 Logan McDade

Coaches are very important to the team, and can also have an effect on the number of wins and losses. They are responsible for a lot on the court, and it is important that they keep a

positive mindset when dealing with the team and the players. “Our coaches really motivate us to come with energy and enthusiasm before every game and every Our coaches really pracmotivate us to come with tice and energy and enthusiasm it tranbefore every game and every sitions practice and it transitions from from them to us which brings them to our success on the court,” us which said Brooke R oders, senior varsity captain brings our success on the court,“ said Rodgers.

“

Leadership Another important element of the team are the captains. They are chosen as players who will help the team and lead them in the right direction. “They provide a positive direction and leadership for not only the younger players, but for the entire girls basketball program,“ said Richie Willis, the girls varsity basketball coach. The captains this year are Hailey Garalczyk, Brooke Rodgers, and Ella Schott.

Students athletes who participate in multiple sports often have more interest from college recruiters. However, it can also create significant stress. Athletes who play multiple sports in high school have more options when it comes to scholarships and colleges. USA Today highschool sports research says that athletes in high school that play multiple sports have an advantage for scholarships because that shows that they are very athletic and that they can multitask. Also, if they have good grades it shows that they put sports and school before everything else in life. “Being a multi sport athlete is very stressful because practices conflict with homework and school,” said Jonathan Wheeling, a freshman football, baseball and basketball player. If a student has a practice the night they also has a lot of homework, then they will have to choose between finishing their homework, and going to practice. Another negative about playing multiple sports is that a player for one sport can get hurt, and then they are unable to play either sport because of their injury. There are a lot of negative factors to playing more than one sport, but there are more positives. “It’s fun playing multiple sports because I make more friends and it takes my mind off of things, but yes it definitely causes some stress when it comes to homework,” said Jayden Bahoura, a sophomore football and baseball player. According to Berecruited, a company that allows kids to be recruited, research shows that the number of multi sport athletes is a falling trend these days. Mostly because there is not enough time in the day and some coaches tell them they have to choose between sports. “I feel that college coaches and professional scouts prefer kids to be multi-sport athletes because they are more well-rounded,” said Gaetano Gianni, varsity baseball coach. Being a multi-sport athlete can also develop a lot of muscles throughout your body. For instance, if an athlete plays soccer and baseball their entire body is getting trained just because of the parts of the body the workouts contain. Athletes who play more than one sport are usually more well-rounded and flexible. A college or professional scout is going to be looking for the most potential in a person. For a team or no team, they will always be looking for the best of the best. That’s why being a multisport athlete helps a lot when it comes to scouts because they have the advantage of being stronger and more versatile. The only things that conflict when being a multi-sport athlete is time and determination. Over a couple of years, a person might lose interest in a sport, or they just like one over the other, so they often choose a sport to maybe have a career in.

22 ● December 20, 2019

New freshman makes varsity soccer Zane Nyburg works hard for his spot on the varsity team Paul Wernes staff writer

Z Sports - page 22- dec 20 2019

GOOD SPORTS

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

Newly named captains to lead boys soccer Colin Mesenbrink staff writer

With the winter season coming up, the boys soccer team prepares for the approaching season with new players, new captains and new strategies. The returning coaches look forward to the new season and have their minds set on going far with the team. “I’m looking forward to seeing the players improve as a whole and also playing competitive games against good teams,” said Jake Seaton, varsity soccer coach. After a 4-8-3 season last winter, the falcons are putting stress on the impact of the captains, knowing that they will help the team as a whole. The captains are known to have a huge impact on the team in the past and have helped win games for the team with great leadership in the past. Captains, David Martinez and Zach Huber plan to lead the team to improve the record from last year. “They were elected to be the captains because they are the leaders of the team and they are obviously skilled players. They motivate and push all of us who are not captains to be better and out-perform all of the other teams. I am looking forward to playing alongside my falcon soccer players and winning more than a few games this season,” said Dillon Iserhott, a junior. The team has been practicing scrimaging and planning out strategies to use in games over the past month now as their first game is scheduled for December 10th against the Ironwood Eagles. Some

of the new players are learning how the team plays together, including the formation works in games. The coaches put the players into high intensity situations and real game scenarios, helping the newer teammates to prepare and get a feel for the rest of the team. The falcons are keeping the same formation as last year, hoping that they can capitalize on it this season. “We have always played in a 4-3-3 formation with four defenders, three center mid fielders, and three forwards. It is a simple and easy formation to understand and it is also very effective when it is played correctly. All in all we are preparing for a big season with both the JV and Varsity boys,” said Seaton. The players are very appreciative of their coaches and trust that they will make the right decisions to benefit the team overall as well as improve their own skills. The returning players feel more prepared this year, as they are more experienced with the formation and teammates, creating chemistry that will help them execute better this year. “I believe in our coaches, especially Tony, the varsity head coach. I believe that he will make the conscious decisions on who should be playing and who should not. So I will be looking forward to the season,” said Owen Taylor, a sophomore. After lots of work and preparation, the varsity boys soccer team is looking forward to their upcoming season and hope to match up well with the teams in their division this year.

ANE NYBURG, A fourteen year old, made the high school varsity soccer team as a freshman. He is the only freshman on the team. “I worked really hard to get to this point and I feel like I deserve this because I tried my hardest at tryouts. I am going to be putting in a lot of hard work this year so I can become the best player as possible,” said Nyburg. Playing a varsity sport comes with numerous challenges, most notably on a physical level. Naturally, freshmen are the youngest players on their teams, giving most a slight physical disadvantage. Varsity soccer, compared to JV soccer, has a much higher level of skill. The game speed is much faster therefore it can be tough for freshman players. Freshman are typically smaller than most players on KICKING THE COMPITION Senior captain David Martinez passes the ball to his teamate during the 0-3 loss to Ironwood. Martinez is one of three captains varsity. on the team, along with senior Zach Huber and junior Garrett Billingsley. 4Paul Wernes “It’s a good opportunity for him and he might not play that much being that he is a freshman, but he will get to know the style of play that Coach Tony likes. He will also If a wrestler loses then they have pure pride. get to know how fast paced the Zachary Valentine and world history teacher. “One thing that I really like about no one to blame for their mistakes game is at the varsity level,” said staff writer The team this year is a very Dillon Iserhott, a junior on varsity. The varsity wrestling team has young team with a lot of new tal- wrestling is that you have to put a because it is just them out their on The outcomes of being on varsity kicked off their season with a brand ent. From now and all the way to lot of work in and I am totally up for the mat. as a freshman is far greater than new coach that has a lot of passion February 13, this team will be train- it because it gets me stronger,” said playing on junior varsity. ing for state. Even though the team Freddie Haber, a sophomore. for the sport. Zane has to adjust to the play The team has already partici- is young, there is always hope of style of varsity. He has to prac- pated in a few tournaments so far winning it all. Winning state is tice harder than the normal var- this season. They practice five to always the goal for any wrestling sity player to be at the level of other six days a week for about two hours team, and reaching that goal is an players. every practice. This team puts a lot accomplishment. “He was very vocal during the of work into their game and they “Putting a lot of time and work tryouts. For a freshman that just are really dedicated. into your game is very crucial to moved here, that is huge. He had This new year the team has a becoming a good wrestler,” said calmness about him during pres- variety of athletes that are ready Porter Bonife, a sophomore. sure situations. Third his techni- to get the season kicked off. They Practice, skill, motivation cal skill. I thought that he was an have hopes of coming out on top and most importantly pride are immediate candidate for the var- this year with the amount of talent needed for wrestling. If a team sity squad,” said Tony Vos, the var- they have on the team. The coach- has pride then that team will sucsity coach. ing staff this year for wrestling is ceed. It is almost exactly like pasZane stood out to his coach head coach Cesar Rojas and assis- sion, to play good at the game, which is the ultimate goal for try- tant coach Brian Kunkel. they got to love the game. outs. He moved to Arizona right Wrestling is different from all “Wrestling is very important to before the school year started and me. It has taught me so many life sports. There is no money to be it is a challenge for some students lessons and has brought me to a made in wrestling, unlike football, to adjust like he did, especially for profession I love, teaching,” said baseball, basketball and all the TAKING THEM DOWN. The entire wrestling team competed in a tournaa sport. Cesar Rojas, head wrestling coach other sports. Wrestlers wrestle for

Wrestling team led by brand new coach

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

December 20, 2019 ● 23

GOOD SPORTS

Girls play charity football in Powderpuff School considers drug testing athletes Emma Weaver

staff writer

Powder Puff, a student run charity event called Falcons Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C), reverses the typical roles in a football game. It brings girls to the football field, and pushes the guys to the sidelines to cheer them on. “Before, Powder Puff was just about breast cancer. Then we learned through the process of doing breast cancer awareness and charity that so many kids had family members and friends who had battled all different kinds of cancers. So we decided to broaden their horizon and allow people to fight for any kind of cancer,” said Cameron Bender, one of the advisors for Powder Puff. Anyone participating in Powder Puff sells color links, symbolizing a specific cancer for $1. Every link that they are able to sell means more money that goes back to Stand Up to Cancer foundation. “Before the game, they (the girls) link the number of links they sell to make a big chain across the field,” said Adam

Busbee, a coach for the senior and freshman teams. According to the Stand Up to Cancer official website, 100% of donations received from public support goes into supplying more than 180 clinical trials SU2C funds, and over $603 million has been pledged to help the work of more than 1,600 scientists. “It helps stand up against cancer, and it helps raise awareness to every type of cancer, not just breast cancer. It brings up lesser known cancers like pancreatic and bone cancer,” said Madison Jacoby, a junior who’s participated in Powder Puff since her freshman year. The American Cancer Research Society reported that in 2018 an estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the United States, and 609,640 people died from the disease. CBS News reported that fifty-four percent of Americans have either had an immediate family member, a close friend, or them self were diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives.

“My grandma was affected by breast cancer, my uncle had pancreatic and lung cancer, and my great grandma died from liver cancer. So I do it to stand up for the cause and raise money to find a cure,” said Jacoby. The International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that in 2012, there were 14.1 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths worldwide. Causing cancer to be among one of the leading causes of death worldwide. “The year, we decided to break off from just breast cancer to Stand Up to Cancer. My father-in-law passed. That was the year that my husband got involved. He was one of the referees and we both played in honor of his dad, wore his cancer colors and that was really powerful,” said Bender. The estimated national expenditures for cancer care in 2017 was $147.3 billion. 39% of Americans think there hasn’t been enough money spent to help the search for the cure, compared with other medical research, according to CBS News.

HITTING LIKE A GIRL Senior Ali Frampton and the rest of the senior team tops the junior team for the victory. The freshman team also beat the sophomores in the JV game. These girls played in the Powderpuff game in order to raise money for charity. 4Logan Mcdade

ment at Barry Goldwater High School.

Callahan Schwartz staff writer

The school is considering starting drug testing of student-athletes, but due to the high costs, it is providing many problems for the school. “It is coming down to finances, so the athletic department has asked the district if it would help finance a portion of it,” said Tandehl Collentine, the athletic director. The school could receive grants from the local police department to pay for the drug tests, which would cover most of the costs. Drug tests range from $10-30 per unit, this makes drug testing on random students along with student-athletes much more expensive for the school. “I know that kids on our sports teams probably do them, but I know for sure that kids that aren’t playing any sports also do them too,” said Calvin Demmit, a member of the mountain biking team. Student-athletes would be the most obvious target for drug tests; however, random drug tests of non-athletes could help bring down drug use at school. The main goal of drug testing would be creating an equal and fair playing ground for sports. Also, reducing the risk for any type of drug use at school. “I know of some kids that do use drugs, but I personally do not,” said Jonah Covert, a player on the Varsity football team. Sports enhancing drugs are rare with only 7% of student-athletes admitting to at least trying anabolic steroids. However, 11% of student-athletes admit to using synthetic human growth hormone at least once. “Basically, it is an analyzation of your urine. You would go into a bathroom where everything is provided, but other than that, nothing is in there,” said Collentine. Drug tests are conducted by testing the urine of the athlete for drug residue. Some professional athletes have tried submitting the urine of other players or family members. “I would not mind being tested because I do not do anything of that stuff,” said Covert. Students that do not do drugs run zero chance of testing positive, so those students should not have any problem with taking the drug tests. However, getting students who know that they are going to test positive to participate in the drug tests might be difficult. Requiring drug tests to play sports may be a way to convince players to take the tests no matter what the end result might be.

Sports - page 23- Dec 20

4Blake Dorame

t e a r s h e e t s

Opinion: Kaepernick deserves another shot at NFL Avianna Hoppes editor-in-chief

\Avianna Hoppes

On November 12, the NFL arranged a private workout for controversial quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who made headlines in 2016 with his protest of the National Anthem. The workout reignited the debate of whether or not he is being blackballed by the NFL due to his protest. The answer; absolutely. There is no legitimate argument that Kaepernick is not good enough to play in the NFL. Just looking at statistics alone, he has better career stats and an overall quarterback rating than ten current starting quarterbacks, such as Mitchell

Trubisky and Andy Dalton. Those are just ten starting quarterbacks, his passer rating has not even been compared to any backups. So the argument is not really about whether or not he is being blackballed, but rather, should he be blackballed. The answer; absolutely not. Whether or not what he did was right or wrong, that debate is up for each individual to decide for themselves, but there is absolutely no way that someone could legitimately argue that Kaepernick does not deserve to be back in the NFL. There are guys (such as Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger) who have done things that are way worse (such as kill-

ing dogs for money or being accused of rape, twice) who have re-entered the NFL. What they did was plain wrong, but what Kaepernick did - or tried to do - at least came from a good place. If Vick and Roesthlisberger can find jobs in the NFL, why can’t Kaepernick? Maybe it is because what he did actually makes people think about social issues that might not affect them and they are forced to go out of their comfort zone. People tend to dislike things that make them uncomfortable, like Kaepernick. But, the whole point of a protest is to make people uncomfortable or unhappy in order to get their attention, and he did just that.

So, until the NFL can legitimately explain why a guy who is statistically better than many current NFL quarterbacks, and has done much more to help the community and social issues than guys currently in the NFL who have raped and beaten women, then there is absolutely no reason why someone can argue that Kaepernick is not being blackballed, and that he deserves to be. These rich NFL owners need to stop worrying about angering fans and losing a little bit of revenue. They need to start caring about real issues, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, instead of only caring about the money.

December