Jackson k's portfolia indd by Lori Hart

Jackson

Jackson Kennelly’s

Kennelly’s Portfolio

Self-evaluation essay

By my third year on the staff, I know what goes into a successful paper. I realize the dedication, proper journalism ethics, and production skills. I have these skills mastered on at least a high school level. Working well with other people is a skill I started to work on last year, but I felt it still needed some developing. Staying on page with the writers who write for you, as well as when you write for other editors. Constant communication is key, especially ahead of time so you can accomplish tasks in a timely manner. I liken the newspaper staff to a machine. A machine that consists of several parts being staff writers and editors alike. Now, if even one part of the machine slips up, the machine does not oper-

ate as well as it should or could be. I feel as the sports editor, I have a large responsibility to this machine. If I slip up, it is very costly to the newspaper. I have learned everybody has a role in the average work environment and it is important people understand their role and do it to the best of their ability for the better of the team. I have also learned people who are in potential leadership role sometimes have to step out of their comfort zone and go above and beyond. I feel no matter where I go after high school, I will always be working with others. I often feel regret not playing sports during high school and missing out on the chance to play with a team and learn to work together

and persevere through all the difficult circumstances. However, then I realize I learned all these lessons by being on the newspaper staff. No matter the diversity of people I work with, whether through work ethic, personality, whatever it is, I will feel better prepared due to my three years on the staff. The class kick started all my valuable skills that will greatly benefit my future. When I look back on my time at high school when I am in my forties, I will not think about the algebra class I took sophomore year or zoology senior year. I will think about all my experiences, both negative and positive, I had during my time in newspaper.

Reflection #1

When thinking about the piece I am most proud of, nothing immediately stands out to me as far as articles. This is unfortunate, because the last two years I can still remember some of the articles I have written and how proud I was to have written them. The reason for not having many great article to pick from this year could be due to a number of factors, which I will touch on later. I am, however, very proud of my continued growth from a design perspective. I feel I have started to gain “the eye” of what truly looks the best and what is most appealing to a reader of the sports pages I am proud of many

of my pages but one in particular stands out to me; the one headlined, “Light up the night.” My goal for every issue is to have the reader stop on my page and find one aspect of the page that is particular interesting to them and I think this page accomplished that. Now, my job was pretty easy, just pick the coolest looking photo taken by Sayge. She did an amazing job capturing the moments in the nest during “Neon Night.” I felt the page is very eye catching and the kind of page that makes people want to read the article. It is one of my favorite parts of being an editor; getting to work with such amazingly talented

people who you can put total faith in to do an incredible job. If I had to choose an article I wrote that I am most proud of, I’d choose my article about sexting. However, not my strongest piece of work as a writer (I have done much better) this was more about the way I challenged myself to write something about a touchy subject. I always enjoy challenging myself and branching off into all forms of writing and this was by far, my most difficult one, but I am proud to say I wrote it and I think it will garner a lot of attention (whether good or bad).

Reflection #2 As far as an article that could of used a little more work, I’d have to say that was my front page terrorism article I wrote for the October issue. I had never written for the front page so I knew it was going to be a challenge with the length of the article and how much quality research would go into making it interesting. I thought when choosing to write the article, that terrorism was an interesting enough topic for me personally, that it would not be too hard to get into it. However, it dragged on and I began to worry more about getting it long enough rather than the quality and I think this showed in my writing. It is fairly obvious to me how it could have been improved, just like how I think all things improve: with more work. If you really do your homework and research and get the big interview, you will have the successful article. This article lacked the interesting interview and I think it suffered as a result. The whole writing process and how the article came about was difficult. In my earliest drafts of the terrorism article my order was confusing and my comparisons were not well thought out. The organization was out of whack and it slowed it down. I think I should of considered better prewriting techniques including brainstorming and mapping out a route in which I wanted the article to go and it may have been a little better. Instead, it lagged on to the point where I was rushing it to the last minute and I believe things are never that great when they are done at the last minute.

Reflection #3 I did not take any pictures for the newspaper this year. I have done it several times in the past and it is just not something that is particularly appealing to me. I do not feel I am very good at it and I never seem to know the right type of angle to get to capture the moment. I guess some people are born with that talent and some people are not. I will say being an editor and someone who has to rely so heavily on photographers to do great things with a camera in a short amount of time, can be stressful. This is why I am so grateful to have such wonderful photographers who are eager to get that perfect shot. This year especially, as been refreshing with the amount of talented people with a camera in hand. Anything you need from them they are there. Sayge and Nicole in particular, are beyond awesome. I, being the procrastinating person that I am, are always doing things last minute and is always pushing photographers to get pictures right before production day. Nicole and Sayge always come through. I was pressed for time to get a photo of the bike team so I called upon Nicole to get the shot. Not only did she crawl out of bed with what I believe was a cold, she went to one of the bike team practices and took the perfect photo for my page. She had every opportunity to say no because she was sick, but instead she agreed to take it. That kind of dedication is rare to find in high school students and it is just one of the components that make our newspaper different from everybody else’s.

Reflection #4 I think timeliness is one of my strengths and one of the qualities I bring to the newspaper staff. I am always willing to come in at Lunch or after school the Thursday and Friday before production. I do this because I have to. I lack the talents to use inDesign well so I have to get as much help for Mr. Adamson as possible. So the ability to recognize my responsibilities and making sure I’m not fighting with the 10 other editors for Adamson on Saturday, is what I bring to the staff. I enjoy branching off from sports every once in awhile and my open minded attitude to all page is another aspect I bring. I do not like when writers refuse to write for a certain page because they feel “it will be too hard” or “I don’t know anything about the topic,” the want to branch off is a critical element that people on the staff need. Must be multidimensional. I think I do a good job of making people feel comfortable writing for the sports page when they are not your typical “sports fan”. They can come to me if they have questions about the article they are writing or if there is a particular angle they would like take. Whatever it is, they can approach me.

Reflection #5 My biggest weakness at times this year has been pushing through and giving 100% in all aspects in the class. I feel I put a lot of work into the actual hard copy version of the paper but as far as the online paper goes, I do not put in much effort. All my focus and attention goes into the regular paper everything else just sort of falls secondary, which is probably why I have an average grade for the class as well. My design skills have improved however this is still my greatest weakness related to publications. I am not a creative nor artistic and in design does not come to me naturally (as you can tell from my portfolio) I have to really put in the time to get the best out of my page. One of the hardships I faced this year is being a tad easy on the writers who were pretty fluid as far as meeting deadlines. I plan on being a little more stern and twist more arms to push them to get that extra interview or do the extra research. But I will do this always through positive encouragement. I need to avoid those feelings of being complacent and feeling like just because I am a senior and been on staff for 3 years that I am somehow “above things.” And if I rid myself of this mindset I can better contribute to the machine I mentioned earlier. Also, I can continue branching off and continuing to get to know my classmates. Every class naturally has it’s cliques and newspaper is no different. I feel if I branch off slightly, I will better enjoy my class. My hope once I come back from break I will feel refreshed with a fresh mindset and ready to start a strong second half. Past years, the success of the paper would tailor off due to laziness. I think this group has a can-do attitude to finish better then they started and I am no different in this regard. Just doing my part to be a sufficient part of the machine.

Designs............... sports

Teeing off Boys golf aspires to State playoffs by jackson kennelly sports editor

Golf is a game that can take its toll on the mind and body. The Boys golf team knows the grind and will look to repeat off of last year State playoff berth. The team is replacing 5 key members off last years squad and will rely heavily on the younger and less experienced players this year. “I would like to see our younger players contribute more by putting in extremely hard work at practice and lowering their competitive scores this season by a couple strokes,” Logan Schindler, a senior golfer, said. The golf matches are organized by pairing the 4 best players with the top scores with the top scoring players on the opposing team. Scores get added up and the team with the lowest overall number wins the match. Playing outdoors in Arizona presents its own challenges during competitive events. “We will’ face mental fatigue on the course especially when walking in the heat, at the beginning of the season it can take its toll on you mentally and physically throughout a round,” Schindler said. Playing golf can challenge an athletes mental strength because the matches can go on fpr hours, so a positive an atitutude and the ability to shake off a bad hole are key. “Staying positive, having a good thoughts is probably the toughest part of the game,” A.J Sirota, a sophomore golfer, said. The golf team not only takes pride in the work they put on the course but also off it, in the classroom. “We want to see our players all work hard in the classroom and be jist as sucessful in the classroom as we do on the course,” Shindler said.

4 Katie fricKer

The obsessive rage of fantasy football is today’s NFL reality

by wyatt bush staff writer

n the past 20 years, the online sensation of Fantasy Football has risen dramatically. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, 27 million people played fantasy sports in 2007, with a rough 7-10 percent increase per year. In 2006, 19.4 million people age 12 and above in the US and Canada played fantasy sports. High School kids make up a great portion of this statistic, with kids all over the country getting together in hopes of achieving the prize of champion. Some students have special traditions when it comes to draft day. “We usually dress really nice in suits and stuff, and we have a draft, and we make it really official,” Ben Snider, a senior, said. Fantasy Football also offers a diversity in the types of drafts a player can participate in, as well as different scoring formats and team structures. Two of the most popular draft types are auction drafts and snake drafts. An auction draft is one in which partici-

September 19, 2014

pants put a player up for bidding, and use the money alotted to them to fill up a 15 man roster. The price of a player is attributed to how many fantasy points they are expected to contribute.

the snake draft

ets. NFL fans generally want to see predominantly offensive games with higher scores, because it makes the game more exciting. This is beneficial to Fantasy Football because point systems are directly related to how many touchdowns and receptions a player receives.

A snake draft is different, with no prices set on any players. The draft order is set once the draft commences, with teams set in first to last pick order. In the following rounds, the order is reversed, so that the last pick will become the first. “I like the snake draft more because I don’t have to worry about valuing a player and can just focus on who’s available,” Trey Nicholson, a senior, said. Some say with the increase of popularity for Fantasy Football, the rules of the game are being shaped with the intention of higher scoring games and rule changes geared towards the offense. Some players, including Seattle Seahawks corner Richard Sherman, believe that the league will do whatever it takes to sell tick-

“It’s got to be a huge industry. Simply because once you start getting in people who are invested in the game in a much greater way then they had been before, to the point where they start picking up packages on their cable networks and they’re getting full NFL pacakges where they can watch every game, absolutely,” Justin Burns, an English teacher and first time fantasy participant, said. The economic impact of Fantasy Football on the sports industry is immense. In fact, fantasy sports are estimated to have a 3 to 4 billion dollar annual economic impact across the industry, according to Fantasy4All. This statistic is expected to rise consis-

nfL making big money on tV

tently, as popularity and marketing for the game is expected to increase. All in all, the typical fantasy fanatic doesn’t even pay attention to the money aspect of the game. Just like real sports, the love of the game is the driving inspiration for a fantasy player’s championship dream. “I play fantasy football for the love of the game and it’s a good time to bond with my boys,” Snider said. With new players comes growth, and Fantasy Football has grown 69 percent since 2003. “I’ve always thought it was a fun kind of thing to do, this will be my first year and it will be really fun to see how players from different teams can come together,” Nicholson said. Many fantasy leagues offer a cash prize or award to the winner of the league, but mostly players just are in it for the bragging rights. “My team has always beaten Chris Nuccio’s team,” Snider said. Champions often make sure to remind everyone of their title all the way up until the next year’s draft.

sports

Head in tHe Game Schools, coaches and players are increasingly concerned with sport injuries to the head by Shelby NicholS news editor

The

top five sports

for most head-related inju-

cycling with 85,389 inju-

ries are

football with 46,948 injuries, baseball and softball with 38,394 injuries, basketball with 34,692 injuries, and water sports with 28,716 injuries. ries,

A traumatic brain injury is defined as a penetrating head damage that disrupts the normal function of the brain, and according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the leading cause of sports-related deaths. The top five sports for most head-related injuries are cycling with 85,389 injuries, football with 46,948 injuries, baseball and softball with 38,394 injuries, basketball with 34,692 injuries, and water sports with 28,716 injuries. All of which are offered at Cactus Shadows. “In cheer you have to sit out for two weeks if you get a concussion and they don’t let you do anything,” Kaley Crum, senior cheerleader, said,” which is good because you don’t want to do something to make the injury worse.” Many precautions are taken to aid in the prevention of head-related injuries. At the beginning of sports seasons at school, athletes have to take a concussion test before they are allowed to partake in their sport of choice. Also, coaches and trainers are always present at practices and games. “We don’t have to take it every year [on the concussion test],” Krum said,” and it should be something that we do every year because it informs you. If something were to happen then it would help having to have taken the test again just as a refresher to remember what to do.” The most common head injury, the concussion, is sustained an estimated 136,000 to 300,000 times per year for high school athletes. Common symptoms of a concussion are loss of consciousness, even if only briefly, any period of amnesia, or loss of memory for the event, feeling dazed or confused, headache, vomiting, or seizure. If one does survive from a traumatic brain injury, life can be tough but manageable. Sports related injuries account for 15 percent of all traumatic brain injuries and common symptoms are reduced ability to respond to stimuli, changes in muscle tone, difficulties in respiration and other vital functions, and increased pressure or fluid buildup. More serious symptoms include problems with thinking or memory, sensory processing, problem understanding and processing information, and behavioral or mental health problems. “You just have to go in [the game] thinking you won’t hurt yourself again,” Noah Covert, a junior and concussion receiver, said, “It is how I play without worrying that I’ll get hurt again.” When dealing with a traumatic brain injury after the fact, there can be few to a lot of behavioral problems. It is common for survivors, according to caregiver.org, to endure personality changes, lack of emotion, emotional lability, aggressive behaviors, self-centered attitudes, poor concentration, lack of awareness deficits, and difficulty dealing with how to cope. “If you do get a concussion or any head injury, the school lets you take it easy for a while just to make sure you able to heal without all the stress,” Covert said. There are four main brain injuries that can cause trauma to the head. Closed head injuries, which occurs when brain tissue impacts the inside of the skull, which can cause bleeding, bruising, tissue damage, specific neurochemical changes and increased pressure or fluid buildup. Penetrating injuries, which include open fractures to the skull, gunshot wounds or the entry of any foreign object into the brain, which can result in damage to the brain structure neurons. Anoxic injuries, which occur when the lack or reduction of oxygen causes brain cells to die. These can produce widespread effects throughout the brain. And Toxic injuries, which is caused by exposure to certain toxic chemical agents and can cross the blood-brain barrier. This can damage or kill brain cells. “It’s important to never stop trying to pursue your dreams or goals after a traumatic brain injury,” Traci Weled, traumatic head injury receiver said, “It may be hard, in fact it will be, but you can’t let a brain injury ruin your life.” Little can be done to reverse or heal the initial brain damage caused by the trauma, but there are many programs that help people learn how to survive with them.

All of which are offered at Cactus Shadows. 4suzanna gormley 20

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

sports

Camryn mayer looks into all the renovations done to the Nest, with improvements to both the football field and the track. The field sports a new scoreboard.

he Rebuild the Nest

organization was formed last year to raise funds to update the track and football field. Last year, the track was completed, and this year, the field was upgraded and a new scoreboard was purchased. “The new scoreboard has made the Nest more excited than ever and really adds a new level of school spirit,” said Ashley Rohm, a senior and captain of the Varsity Pom team. The scoreboard is bigger in size and more up to date, with LED light bulbs that create brighter letters and numbers. The top of the scoreboard also says Cactus Shadows in huge letters that light up at night.

Scoreboard needS adS

What’s on the scoreboard counts

As part of the Rebuild the Nest effort, the scoreboard shows students and fans alike what a difference they can make by putting money toward their sports programs. The score board actually has not been fully paid for. It is financed by advertising, and there is still one more spot open to join the four major contributors –Precision Roller, Desert Foothills Athletics, Beckham Dental, and Harold's Cave Creek Corral. If a company buys a spot this year, then the scoreboard will be fully covered. What is special about the scoreboard is that the advertisements on them doesn't just make money for football. The money made from the advertisements, "goes to all student athletes on campus and their sports," said Brad Mayer the president of Falcons Athletic Club, which handles all the money for sports on campus.

improved graSS Surface Along with a new scoreboard, stage one of Rebuild the Nest also included a new track, grass, and also play clocks stationed at each end of the field. “Rebuild the Nest replacing the track and field is more beneficial than just for looks,” said Suzanna Gormley, senior. “It helps with injuries because the field was uneven and the ground was hard, creating stress fractures. It should have been replaced every two to three years, and it’s been ten years, so we really needed it.” Mayer said that the next step would "hopefully come next year." It would include a new sound system for the football field and also expanding the now 1100 seating bleachers to bleachers that fit 2000 people.

4sayge bolli 22

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

sports

Teeing off Boys golf aspires to State playoffs by jackson kennelly sports editor

4 Katie fricKer

The obsessive rage of fantasy football is today’s NFL reality

by wyatt bush staff writer

n the past 20 years, the online sensation

of Fantasy Football has risen dramatically. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, 27 million people played fantasy sports in 2007, with a rough 7-10 percent increase per year. In 2006, 19.4 million people age 12 and above in the US and Canada played fantasy sports. High School kids make up a great portion of this statistic, with kids all over the country getting together in hopes of achieving the prize of champion. Some students have special traditions when it comes to draft day. “We usually dress really nice in suits and stuff, and we have a draft, and we make it really official,” Ben Snider, a senior, said. Fantasy Football also offers a diversity in the types of drafts a player can participate in, as well as different scoring formats and team structures. Two of the most popular draft types are auction drafts and snake drafts. An auction draft is one in which partici-

September 19, 2014

pants put a player up for bidding, and use the money alotted to them to fill up a 15 man roster. The price of a player is attributed to how many fantasy points they are expected to contribute.

the snake draft A snake draft is different, with no prices set on any players. The draft order is set once the draft commences, with teams set in first to last pick order. In the following rounds, the order is reversed, so that the last pick will become the first. “I like the snake draft more because I don’t have to worry about valuing a player and can just focus on who’s available,” Trey Nicholson, a senior, said. Some say with the increase of popularity for Fantasy Football, the rules of the game are being shaped with the intention of higher scoring games and rule changes geared towards the offense. Some players, including Seattle Seahawks corner Richard Sherman, believe that the league will do whatever it takes to sell tick-

nfL making big money on tV “It’s got to be a huge industry. Simply because once you start getting in people who are invested in the game in a much greater way then they had been before, to the point where they start picking up packages on their cable networks and they’re getting full NFL pacakges where they can watch every game, absolutely,” Justin Burns, an English teacher and first time fantasy participant, said. The economic impact of Fantasy Football on the sports industry is immense. In fact, fantasy sports are estimated to have a 3 to 4 billion dollar annual economic impact across the industry, according to Fantasy4All. This statistic is expected to rise consis-

NFL’s handling of domestic abuse leads to questions by RYAN DENSON staff writer

Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson have become the new faces of a serious issue facing the NFL, domestic abuse. According to USA Today’s NFL Players Arrest Database, maintained since 2000, there have been 83 domestic violence arrests. That statistic highlights the fact that arrests for domestic abuse are the NFL’s worst category, with a 55.4 percent relative arrest rate. The arrest rates are relative to the national average for mean ages 25 to 29. Roger Goodell, the Commissioner for the NFL, has faced intense scrutiny for his handling of the cases, with many people seeing a cover up of holding players accountable. “It [the NFL] has not done enough. The league should hold their players to a higher standard and shouldn’t pay criminals,” Carlye Robertson, a senior, said. Ray Rice has been suspended indefinitely and Adrian Peterson faced deactivation from the Vikings’s week two game against the New England Patriots. However, Peterson was subsequently placed on the NFL’s Exempt/ Commissioner’s Permission list, which prohibits Peterson from partaking in all team activities. Questions have been raised regarding domestic abuse in the NFL and all national sports are whether they have been around forever, or if it is relatively new, and what

can actually be done to curb violence against women. “I think they are doing enough to punish them, but I feel like some cases are lighter than the other and their punishment isn’t as much it should be sometimes,” Bryce Mosher, a senior and member of the school football team, said. In a recent ESPN article titled “Why Domestic Violence Prevention Programs Don’t Work,” it was reported that there is no broad consensus as to why athletes are prone to bouts of abuse and battery. While the national rates of domestic violence have fallen by 50 percent between 1995 (when the Violence Against Women Act was passed by Congress) and 2004, the league continues to face scrutiny for not curtailing domestic abuse conduct. There is also no broad consensus as to whether or not pro-athletes are prone to violence, considering their high salaries and the extremely low rates of domestic violence in high-income households. However, some experts say the players have become desensitized to physical contact because it is the norm in their profession, and their socio-economic background before making high salaries. “I absolutely do think prevention programs do work and it depends on when you catch it. This is no longer being pro-active prevention, these [players] are now in need of intervention programs,” Beth Udisky, social worker,” said.

: TIME IS S R O I N SE RUNNING Portraits

SPORTS

OUT!!

must be

no excuse abuse The National Football League has a real problem with

“The league should hold their players to a higher standard and shouldn’t pay criminals,” Carlye Robertson, senior.

taken by nov. 2nd Call 480-947-4467 TODAY to schedule your portrait session!

4SAYGE BOLLI OCTOBER 17, 2014

Light up the night SPORTS

The Nest brings the spirit to the home games with themes from American to neon and everything in between.

by ABBY CARDENAS staff writer

As the football season kicks off, the Nest brings all of the support they can for their Falcons. Some students lead the Nest when they cheer for the Falcons at home games. “The leaders, well we like to call ourselves ‘the Boys’. ” Collin Berry, a senior, said. ‘The Boys’ help in making decisions for what the theme will be that night. There is a lot for them to consider when they choose what goes on at the game. ‘The Boys’ decide what music to play during the breaks, what the theme will be, what kinds of activities they will initiate, in which most are pre-approved by student council. They must run the idea past Cameron Bender, Stuco advisor. Chants are one way to keep the rest of the student section involved in the games. “During the games we like to keep cheering and making up chants,” Berry said. Win or lose, the Nest makes sure the football team hears their presence and they are proud no matter what happens. Football players love to see the turn out and how many people show up to support them. The student’s spirit motivates the players. “It’s just one big community for the game,” Carlo Paoletti, a junior on the varsity team, said. He is amazed every game to see how many people show up for them and care about the team. Regardless of how the score turns out, the Nest never falters in their wall of sound and does not let their spirit lessen whether they are on the losing or winning end. With safety in mind, the Nest has many security guards and teachers watching over to make sure nothing dangerous happens before, during, and after the game. Usually, the crowd is brimming over with students, and whoever is not on the stands is roaming the sidewalk area underneath. Students in the Nest have received high marks for their behavior this year. “They’ve been on their best behavior, best I’ve seen,” Jackie Kelleher, one of the security guards, said. There are expectations when sitting in the Nest. Students must cheer for their team, keep the players motivated, and to make each game the best it can be. 22

NEON NIGHT The student section, led by Michael Toschi, senior, celebrate the homecoming game by wearing neon. Students also had the choice to purchase a glow stick to enhance the experience of neon night.

4 SAYGE BOLLI

Volleyball gets confident by ABBY CARDENAS staff writer

After losing a coach and senior players, the girls volleyball team comes back to the new season with a few fresh faces. “Already you can tell the girls look extremely confident up there,” Corinne Querrey, a junior on the junior varsity team, said. Since being on the team last year, Querrey has seen the difference in the way the group plays on the court after getting a new coach. Coach Zach Davis previously coached the summer club volleyball program and many of his club players return to the court for the school season. Because the team has worked together since the beginning of summer, Davis has seen them succeed at becoming a team. “They’ve really been able to succeed as a unit instead of just individual players,” Davis said.

4 NICOLE NERI

The team has improved on their collaborative skills, but they still have some weaknesses. Volleyball is a team sport, meaning that even though the players have united, there are still challenges within the team. Though it is early in the season, faults from the past, return this year with the team. Both junior and varsity teams could improve their communication. “Communication can always be better,” Querrey said. As for the teams strengths, they have a large number of players who excel at different positions, making the teams well rounded. Anything less than State this year for the team would be a disappointment. “The teams turned out really well, and we’re gonna play well, and we’re hoping to make it to state this year,” Annie Deininger, a junior on varsity, said.

SPIKED Annie Deininger, a junior, sets up for a spike. The volleyball team is led by new coach Zach Davis, who previously coached the summer club team. 4NICOLE NERI

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

SPORTS

Behind the mask Jordan Nash-Boulden goes indepth about playing the most scrutinized position in the sport of hockey by WYATT BUSH staff writer

Hockey is usually not a sport of choice for most Arizonans. However it is for Jordan Nash-Boulden, a junior, who plays goalie for the Cactus Shadows Hockey Team. Nash-Boulden began playing at an early age. “I probably started playing when I was about seven or eight, I don’t really remember,” Nash-Boulden said. “I remember watching the Coyotes games on TV and wanting to do that myself.” After taking skating lessons, she then advanced to playing organized hockey. “I played right wing for a year before I switched to goalie. I played on a co-ed team,” Nash-Boulden said. Most people would consider goalie to be the most important and arguably roughest positon in the game, but Nash-Boulden embraced the opportunity. “Seven year old boys aren’t necessarily the greatest when it comes to sharing the ice with girls, so I decided it might be more fun to stop them from scoring as I wasn’t going to be doing much of that myself,” Nash-Boulden said. Many people view Nash-Boulden as an inspiration. “I think it’s really cool that our school has a girl as a goalie. Not a lot of schools can say that,” Wyatt Harris, a senior, said. The position of Goalie also brings a great amount of pressure, as it is the goalie’s responsibility to prevent the other team from scoring. NashBoulden can handle the pressures. “I love what I do, even though it’s hard sometimes knowing the fate of a game can come down to you. Sometimes the pressure really motivates you, though,” Nash-Boulden said. Nash-Boulden had plans for hockey after high school, and thought goalie would prepare her for a more physical game that she could hopefully play in college. But first she had to focus on playing in high school. She tried out for the first time this year, and made the varsity team. What happened on ice is not what concerned Nash-Boulden. “I wasn’t worried about the level of play since I’ve seen some really physical play before. I was more worried about the off-ice stuff. I was sort of nervous going into the year, especially about how I would get along with the other boys. I wasn’t quite sure they would accept me as part of the team.” With the help of her teammates she has fit in with ease. “Everybody has really tried to make sure I fit in and I’m as much as part of the team as anyone else. I actually don’t feel like there’s much of a difference between me and them at this point,” Nash-Boulden said. She is an intergal part of the team’s sucess. “Besides the fact that she is the glue that holds our team together, she is a great member of our team,” Ryan Berger, a sophomore hockey player, said. Nash-Boulden even shares the same locker room as the boys. “It was a little weird at first but I guess they just have to make sure they’re not indecent or anything,” Nash-Boulden said. Even with all the attention, Nash-Boulden does not try to let it get to her game, but she is glad that she can warrant inspiration. “It would be amazing to one day be considered a role model for anybody, to be honest,” Nash-Boulden said. As far as the team goes, Nash-Boulden is nothing short of optimistic. “The goal is to win and go as far into the division two playoffs as we can,” Nash-Boulden said. She even has aspirations of her own, such as playing college hockey and pursuing a career in athletic training. Her first choice would be to leave the state, however she would consider staying if she got a better opportunity.

4 NICOLE NERI

OCTOBER 17, 2014

SPORTS

Stirling has Olympic aspirations Connor Stirling, a senior swimmer, hopes his strong work ethic and habits in the pool will translate into representing his country CASEY WINDSOR staff writer

Not only is he the fastest in school, but he is one of the fastest swimmers in the state. Since age eight, Connor Stirling has been training to become a four time state competitor for high school swim. Stirling is not only committed to the school's swim team but he also trains three hours a day and twice a day during the summer at the Scottsdale Aquatic Center. He is coached by Nate Moore and helped along the way by fellow team mate, Ben Snider. “I have watched Connor develop the past few years and become one of the fastest swimmers in the United States. I could not be more proud of him. He is a tremendous athlete and person, I am fortunate and honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of his swimming career,” Moore said Stirling leads the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.3 and the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 44.7. With these times, Stirling has been able to not only go on and swim at state, but actually have Olympic trial times. “I’ve swum in every state meet since I was a freshman but I’ve also swum in state meets for my club teams. The last couple years I’ve gotten first and second in all of them,” Stirling said. When the 2016 or 2020 Olympics come around, if Stirling places in the top six in both of his events, he will be eligible to make the mens Olympic swim team. With that record, Stirling was able to get accepted into BYU and be a part of the swim program. “I just committed a couple weeks ago and I’m very excited, it’s going to be a lot of fun and I can’t wait to be a collegiate athlete,” Stirling said. Making the Olympic team is not an easy thing to do, but it is something that is important for Stirling. “It would be extremely cool, being able to compete for my country is always something I’ve strived to do.” He is supported by his teammates and close friends. “I have never met someone who works as hard for something as he does and he deserves the best. As a close friend of his I can only wish the best for him in his future swim career,” Ben Snider, senior swimmer, said. In five years he sees himself still in the pool. “Hopefully still swimming, I’ve got pretty lofty goals like maybe making an Olympic team, but hopefully still swimming somewhere in the water,” Stirling said. Stirling is a team first player. “Just like Coach Brooks said in the movie miracle, the name on the front is more important than the name on the back,” Stirling said. 22

The bike team takes on challenges in its second season

HE bike team is a newer

sport on campus that meets every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday in varying locations. “It’s fun, you make a lot of friends, it’s good for you, and it’s a good activity.” Che DeSilva, a sophomore bike team member, said. This year so far the club has thirteen team participants. Bikes and other equipment needs to be purchased by each individual. However, The Flat Tire Bike shop is willing to give members up to a fifty percent discount off of their merchandise for shopping there. “The price varies, it depends a lot on what kind of stuff you want,” deSilva said. The outfits worn by the bike team are different compared to other sports jerseys at school. They are made out of breathable material made for keeping bikers cool from the Arizona heat. Along with jerseys; reflective goggles, sneakers, and helmets are worn as well. During practice the bike team focuses mainly on improving their skills and fixing problems if they occur. All this effort is put forth to prepare for the races. The bike team is a small group of people who work together and look to their several coaches, and a team captain for guidance.

“I am excited to be given a great responsibility and thrilled to be able to help guide our team to use all their abilities,” Jake Ulmer, senior and bike team captain, said. There are also many sponsors that allow the bike team to practice on their property, host events, and even contribute money/donations. Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue and Black Mountain Fitness are two of local sponsor locations. The team practices in several different spots around the district. The site that gets the most attention is the dead end of Black Mountain Parkway. Other whereabouts include; 7th Ave and Carefree Highway, McDowell Moutain Park Competitive Loop, and Cave Creek Park. Practice starts as early as 6:30 AM and as late are 6:30 PM. “Its a new sport, its starting to grow, and can be a great new experience,” Ulmer said. The bike team does not yet have an official page on the school’s website, but they do have a Facebook page that can be found by searching Cactus Shadows High School Mountain Bike Team. A separate website for the bike team was designed by Kai DeSilva, a senior. The link to the website can be found in the about section of their Facebook page. ~Bianca Dydyk

Setting the handle bar

WARMING UP before

each race; Olivia Nicholls, a sophomore bike team member said, “I am so proud to be a part of such an amazing group of people.” 4NICOLE NERI THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

SPORTS

Mississippi: the center of college football universe WADE JOHNSON, who will be off to Ole Miss next year, offers her views and opinion on the state of her new state’s football teams Mississippi is a state of pride and passion, especially when it comes to their football teams, and for the first time in history both Ole Miss and Mississippi State are ranked in the top 20 at this point in the season. October 4th started the hype that has swarmed the Magnolia State. Mississippi State started the day off beating the number six team in the polls, Texas A&M. Ole Miss’s turn was next as they beat one of their biggest rivals and best team in the SEC, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Ole Miss had not experienced a win against the Crimson Tide since 2003, when Eli Manning was playing for the Rebels. Hopes were low for the Rebels, however they did have home field advantage, College Game day in Oxford for the first time, and celebrity guest picker Katy Perry. The Rebels did not disappoint, Ole Miss played a complete game on their way to take down the Tide. Mississippi State dominated A&M. Starkville rejoiced with the final score of 48-31. The bulldogs began to see their struggling program turn into a powerhouse ready to take on the rest of their schedule including Auburn. After the two games, Ole Miss and Mississippi State shared the number three ranking in national college football polls. The teams are used to being rivals, but as they both experienced some of their greatest victories, the state of Mississippi came together and celebrated as a whole. Facebook posts varied from Bulldog fans’ statuses being “Hotty Toddy” and Rebels posting “Hail State”, for the most part it was the fans first time uttering these words. ESPN’s College Gameday had never been to the state of Mississippi, and after a weekend in Oxford, they decided to stay for another week and go 98 miles south to Starkville. The iconic show embraces fans and how they tailgate, and Oxford and Starkville threw them a party. The Grove in Oxford is famous for their tailgating, but Starkville claimed to have a bigger than average tailgate for the show. Hugh Freeze, the coach at Ole Miss, and Dan Mullin, Mississippi State’s, have proven that they know how to rework programs. Both of the universities’ programs have settled for “progressive” and “almostthere”. Now, the football universe is calling them the best in the nation and ones that other teams need to look out for. The Defense of Ole Miss is referred to as landsharks to fans. In this seasons’ SEC games the Rebels defense has shown they can fly around, cause havoc, and come up with timely turnovers. If Ole Miss and Mississippi State continue to shock the nation, the Ole Miss versus Mississippi State game, which wraps up the season, is going to be the game of the year to watch. 23

OUT IN FRONT Matt Svoboda, senior cross country runner, competes at the Doug Conley Invitational at Temp Rolling Hills golf course. The boys cross country team has many traditions to prepare for meets including, having a cone for a mascot and dressing up in patriotic colors every Wednesday. 4NICOLE TOOMEY

Cross Country relies on more than talent

by ERIKA SODERSTROM Staff writer

OR some cross coun-

try athletes the state meet holds their last opportunity to run high school cross country. On November 8 the team ran at the state championship meet. The boys and girls cross country team both have traditions that help to prepare them for their meets. “I think traditions promote positive team unity, consistency, and gets the team excited to compete,” Jessie Nelson, coach of cross country, said. The team participates in many traditions, with some more unique than others. They participate in weekly team din-

“I think traditions promote positive team unity, consistency, and gets the team excited to compete.” said head cross country coach Jessie Nelson. ners, create team bracelets and participate in a Halloween run. The boys cross country team has a cone for a team mascot that they bring to all the meets. They re-name it every season. The name this year is Jebediah. They have a number of other traditions as well. “Every Wednesday we dress like an American,” (dress in red white and blue) Max Solberg, a sophomore runner, said. Every Tuesday, the team participates in tie dye Tuesday. In order to prepare for state,

the team has started tapering. “The intensity of the workout is the same but the volume’s less,” Solberg said. In order to mentally prepare for state the team focuses on staying positive. “We’re just kind of getting pumped up. I’m so excited every day just counting down the days,” Solberg said. As for pre-race preparation, the team has started to participate in goodie guap. “I'm not sure when it started, but the girls also do something called

goodie guap. It's sort of like Secret Santa,” Jeri Glicksman, a senior runner, said. The team randomly picks their teammates name out of a bag and has to put together a pre-race goodie bag for the person for the next meet. The boys cross country team is planning on shaving their legs before state, “so look out for that,” Solberg said. The day before state, the girls team runs the home course, then they collect mud from their favorite spots on the Cactus football field. They place the mud in a bucket which they bring to state. Before the state race starts the girls put the mud on their faces and run. THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

SPORTS COMMENTARY

PLAYOFF WILL NOT PAY OFF With the college football season coming to a close, there always seems to be a mad dash to the finish line. The only difference between this year and previous season is the instituted four team playoff to determine the champion. While the idea is nice in theory, letting the best of the best settle out on the field rather than computers, but in reality the new system does not solve the ultimate problem. Before fans of the number three ranked team would make their case for being in the national championship game and usually a solid case could be made. Now it will that number five ranked team staking their claim at a chance to claim college football’s most valuable prize. No matter how many teams you put into a playoff, there will always be whining and resume comparisons of who has the most quality wins and worse losses. Peer pressure from fans and media alike “No matter how many teams will slowly shape the playoff system you put in a playoff there will into something more familiar of March Madness. always be whining...” To see college football turn into college basketball would truly be a travesty. In college basketball, the relevancy of regular season games is watered down due to the fact every team can afford a few losses and 64 (not including the play-in games) make the playoff. This causes the general college basketball observer to lose interest until one month out of the year. It is all about regular season games in college football. There are astronomical ratings because every game truly matters in the grand scheme of things. However the four game playoff does not decrease the importance of the regular season games, the more teams the committee adds, the less importance the games have. Nobody wants to see that in college football. Keep the playoff the way it is now. No 8 team, 16 team, or 64. Keep our game intact and stop changing it so much to the point where it become unrecognizable.

JACKSON KENNELLY

Arizona football teams center of public attention by JACKSON KENNELLY sports editor

Arizona sports fans have had an enjoyable fall because no matter the team they cheer for (from the state) has had some level of success. ASU, U of A, and the Cardinals are led by established head coaches that have implemented a system of winning football to the dessert. “Gotta love Arians, that guy can flat out coach, I thought we could all see that when he was in Indianapolis and he’s carrying that over to the cardinals,” Joey Meshinsky, a senior, said. The Cardinals, led by Head Coach Bruce Arians, have played swarming defense, forcing turnovers and stout run defense, to head a strong NFC west, often considered one of the stronger divisions in the NFL. With the injury to Quarterback Carson Palmer, the tough minded Cardinals now turn to grizzled veteran Drew Stanton. The college programs have been no slouch either. ASU played themselves into the playoff picture for much of the season after impressive victories at USC and at home vs DECEMBER 12, 2014

Notre Dame until ultimately dropping a tough road game in Corvallis against Oregon State. ASU’s Pac 12 championship hopes were slashed with a loss for the battle of the desert against U of A. “Its been an incredible year for both teams , both playing great, couldn’t of asked for much more” Augustin Angeli , a math teacher, said. U of A, on the other hand, entered the season under the radar. Led by freshman Quarterback, Anu Solomon, the Wildcats have been able to hang on in the competitive Pac 12 race. “They have been surprising and Anu Soloman has a really bright future,” Jessie Davis, a senior, said.With perhaps the most impressive victory of the Season against the Oregon Ducks and Heisman favorite Marcus Mariota, Arizona jumped on the national stage as a team that could compete with any team in the country. However, in the rematch of the game with the Ducks in the Pac 12 championship game, Oregon thoroughly handled the Wildcats, 51 to 13.

Pin it to win it DEADLOCK Jordan Nasr, a junior, and Christian Pershina, a junior, working on technique at one of the wrestling team practices. The team is preparing for the state wrestling tournament in February.

by CASEYWINDSOR staff writer

Varsity coach Bob Crosswhite, and junior varsity coach Brian Kunkel, are ready to work the wrestlers into the best shape they can be in, so they are ready for the 2015 State Wrestling Tournament in February. “I feel that wrestling is an intricate and rather challenging sport that is often underrated by my peers and myself,” Ryan Heiliger, a sophomore, said. Wrestling started over a month ago. A typical wrestling practice unofficially starts at 2:40, allowing the wrestlers to weigh in, change into their practice gear and move the mats into the gym for practice. The practice officially starts at 3 p.m. which is when the wrestlers are expected to start warming up. Warm ups and conditioning lasts from about 3 p.m to about 3:20, and then the team practices their wrestling technique until

about 5 p.m. After conditioning is over, they go onto live wrestling for about a half an hour, which is when the wrestlers actually perform like they would in a tournament. This prepares them to wrestle people from other schools, in the same weight class as them and hopefully win. There are a number of ways to keep the weight off. “If you are trying to cut your weight many of the guys will wear several layers,” Andrew Hulett, junior wrestler, said. Wearing layers while working out helps the wrestlers to

WRESTLING WITH CLASS

There are a total of 15 different weight classes in high school wrestling: 106 , 113, 120, 126, 132 lbs., 138, 145, 152, 160, 170 182 195, 220 and 285 pounds

4CHRISTINA DRAGONE

sweat more, causing them to lose weight quicker. Wrestlers are required to wrestle in a certain weight class so that someone in the smallest weight class is not going up against the biggest wrestler in the whole tournament. “It is easier for the heavier wrestlers to keep their weight because their classes are larger,” Hulett said. The clothing that wrestlers are required to wear is very little. All they have to wear is their wrestling shoes and a singlet. They must provide themselves with the wrestling shoes. Wrestling shoes can cost up to 200 dollars but most wrestlers spend about 75. The singlets are provided to the wrestlers by the school. A singlet is a one piece body suit that is also close fitting. To determine whether a wrestler belongs on junior varsity or varsity, the coaches hold a “wrestle off”. “The best guy wins and he gets to wrestle varsity,” Kunkel said.

Kings of the court

SPORTS

Basketball team looks to build off last year’s success with new varsity

by LINDSEY MURPHY staff writer

HE coming of winter means jackets, cold air, and

hot cocoa, it also means basketball season. “It’s a lot of fun, it’s a good experience, we get really close with our team, so we have a really good time,” Nick Potthoff, a junior and member of the varsity basketball team, said. Last year, the varsity basketball team had a winning season, taking the sectional championship title. “Last year we were lucky enough to win our section, and with all the experience we have coming back, the goal is to do the same. We’d love to win our section, make it to state, possibly get a home playoff game, and make a run at a state championship,” Jamaal Scott, the varsity basketball coach, said. The team made it to the state playoffs last year, but were not able to get all the way to the final game and win state. “I think we want to get farther than we did last year in the state tournament, which was second round,” Ryan McNamara, a senior on the varsity team, said. This year, the varsity team has experienced some changes. Many seniors, some in the starting lineup, graduated last year, so this has led to some turnover in the roster. Also, there has been the addition of new Juniors onto the Varsity team. “This year we are a little bit smaller, so we do need to rebound more and work more as a team, but really the only difference is not having those seniors there, and kind of adapting to the new players playing styles,” McNamara said. Because of the new players, the Nest and spectators may see a little different style of basketball from the team this year than they did last year. “The starting lineup is different this year. It’s a different way to play basketball, so we have to change our offense to accept the new players,” Potthoff said. The team works on the new offensive system every day. The basketball team practices every day during the school week, and has practices on Saturday as well. On December 2, the Falcons played their first home game against Notre Dame. They beat the Saints with a score of 53-44.

JUMPING LIKE ‘STASI Jake Anastasi, senior, goes up for a one handed dunk in his game against the Notre Dame Saints. The Falcons won 53 to 44 and improved their record to 3-2. 4 MADDIE JONES

Playing in pink and raising awareness for the cause by CHRISTINA DRAGONE features editor

Nothing like throwing around the old pigskin to finish the semester before finals. Pink, pink, and more pink, the female population of Cactus Shadows is preparing to wrap themselves in blankets as they take the field hoping to raise money for the Susan G. Komen fund. “It is really cool that we can do something super fun for cancer. I am excited to find a bunch of pink clothing to wear and go out there and have fun with my friends. But, I am scared of getting tackled or attacked because I am kind of small,” Nicole Toomey, a senior, said 22

The Junior Varsity players will take the football field at 5 p.m. and the Varsity game will be at 6:30 p.m. Varsity players are a little more excited because this is their last year. “I’m excited for the opportunity to play for a good cause and meet new people,“ Madison Schwab, a senior, said. Although it is labeled as flag football, there is still some fear of aggressiveness. “I played freshman year and all I remember is girls sharpening their fingernails before the game,” Katie Fricker, a senior, said. Ashley Branson, a junior, is looking forward to the contact. “I am pumped to play a game where it is acceptable to hit other girls. I played freshman year and it was kind of scary. Now that

I am a junior, the sophomores and I will kick butt,” Branson said. Underclassmen are also looking forward to the game. “This is my first time playing and I am scared of injuring someone,” Alexa Dragone, a sophomore, said. The girls want to show the school that football is not just for the boys. “I am doing powder puff this year because I missed out last year, and all my friends are playing and it is going to be awesome. Football isn’t just a boys sport, let’s not be sexist here. It is going to be so freaking cold I am going to look like a pink marshmallow wrapped up in clothes.” Sierra Slockbower, a sophomore, said. There will be a bonfire after the game to celebrate the results and the donations.

Student Council will provide s’mores for the gooey deliciousness and music from Satyr Entertainment.

“I am doing powder puff this year because I missed out last year... It is going to be so freaking cold I am going to look like a pink marshmallow wrapped up in clothes.” Sierra Slockbower, a sophomore, said. THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

SPORTS

Many of us engage in dangerous sports for the both the ...

THRILLS and SPILLS

HEELS OVER HEAD Elise Jones, a

4MADDIE JONES

Aking

risks is a part of everyday life, whether it be driving in a car or just stepping outside of the house. Risk is a natural occurrence. However, for some people, minimal risk is not enough. Some people take on larger risk activities to fulfill this feeling, such as big wave surfing, rock climbing, mountain biking, ice climbing, ice skating, and long boarding. “Sure the risk is a huge part and wanting to get that adrenaline rush,” Ava Dyston, a junior, said. “But I think it is about the feeling of being free for a second, no other worries.”

SURFING BIG ONES

Big Wave surfing is defined as a discipline within surfing in which experienced surfers paddle into or are towed onto waves which are at least 20 feet tall. This type of surfing was “discovered” or brought to the public eye in 1953 when an image of big wave surfers George Downing, Wally Froiseth and Buzzy Trent was printed on the front page of a Californian newspaper. This image led to California surfers traveling to Hawaii at Makaha to experience the new type of surfing.

DECEMBER 12, 2014

seventh grader, jumps on her trampoline in her backyard.

HARD ROCK Rock Climbing, or extreme free soloing, is climbing outside on real rocks without any ropes rather than inside a gym on a fake wall. The goal of this sport is to climb from the bottom to the top without falling. Since there is no use of a rope, this sport is very dangerous under the premise that if you fall, you die. This sport is not competitive, but is instead something that climbers do for themselves. It is about freedom and the ability to climb without any restrictions.

KEEP ROLLING Extreme Mountain biking can be split up into three categories: downhill mountain biking, dirt jumping mountain biking, and cross country mountain biking. Downhill mountain biking take advantage of ski slopes during the summer and the main purpose of it is speed. Dirt Jumping is more common for experienced BMX riders and the purpose is to perform the most extravagant jumps in the air. Cross Country biking covers 30 miles and can be performed on several rough and rugged land surfaces. This competition starts marathon style. “I don’t think its worth it to do such risky activities,” Laura Cowan, Creeker, said. “Why risk your life

for a ten second feeling of freedom?” “I don’t think its worth it to do such risky activities,” Laura Cowan, creeker, said, “why risk your life for a ten second feeling of freedom.”

SLIPPERY SLOPE Ice Climbing evolved from the type of rock climbing mentioned earlier. When rock climbing, climbers had to figure out ways to maneuver icy surfaces in high altitudes, so new tools were created. The creation of these new tools led climbers to just climb ice instead; frozen waterfalls or glaciers are most common. The birth of ice climbing can be traced to a man in 1908 named Oscar Eckinstein, who designed “crampons” or toothed claws. This invention was a shoe that allowed a climber to gain traction on the slippery ice.

LEAPS AND FALLS Ice skating competitively comes in two forms; figure skating and speed skating. Figure skating was modernized in 1990 when the International Skating Union eliminated the compulsory figures from singles competition. Now, the skaters are judged on their ability to perform jumps, spins, spirals,

and to skate a program coordinated with music. There has been a trend toward more athleticism in free-skating events, adding more complicated and daring jumps. “I loved the feeling of being on the ice, its hard to explain, but once you are there doing tricks in the moment, you forget about the risk,” Leah Klein, former ice skater, said. “All I could think about was how much I wanted to land my hardest tricks.” Speed skating is held on large outdoor rinks where two skaters race at a time up to speeds of around 30 miles per hour.

LONG BOARDS There are some sub-variation of downhill longboarding, but the basic concept is the same; stand on the longboard and skate down on an open road. People tend to stand when long-boarding, but there are variations where the rider lies down feet first for aerodynamic reasons. Longboarding was created in the 60’s when surfers became frustrated with bad wave conditions. In the 70’s, long-boards started to appear. To break the world record for fastest speed while riding a longboard, one would have to reach speeds of over 80 miles per hour.

~SHELBY NICHOLS

sports

By Casey Windsor staff writer

en Snider, a senior and the

in his element

captain of the boys swim team, hopes to lead the 2014 swim team to another undefeated season. He plans to do this by continuing the team’s traditions, teamwork, and practice. “I’d like to bring home the first national title in over 36 years,” said Snider. “And it would be nice to go undefeated for the sixth consecutive year” The swim team has many traditions. To prepare for state and nationals, the team has about one meet per week. “We like to go to someone’s house, get the room to a comfortable 85 degrees and we sweat out our toxins and eat a lot of pasta,” Snider said. To prepare himself for his individual meets, Snider said he likes to go home and watch a full season of Gossip Girl to pump him up. On the charter bus to meets, Snider gets his team motivated by listening to music like Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band. He also has Stephen Barnett, senior, give the boys a motivational speech in the locker room. Then, Snider gathers them in a huddle and they all take a knee and say a prayer. “Ben was bred to lead his team, he’s a leader, a follower and a warrior that all organisms look up to,” Connor Stirling, senior and swimmer, said. The boys team also like to motivate the girls team. “We just yell the prayer

through the locker room vents, then they yell it back to us and it really intimidates the other teams,” Snider said. Teamwork is another critical element to the success of the team. Snider clearly enjoys working with his teammates. “My dear friend, Connor Stirling, is our front man, he’s the all school legend,” Snider said. “People love us, you know, we’re like the legends on campus I guess you could say,” Snider said. The teams practices are held at Cactus Pool. “It is a lovely venue with an Olympic sized pool that many olympians have trained at before, so we are blessed to work with them. It’s like a home to us, just we don’t have parents there,” Snider said. As for the races, Gage Miller, senior, leads the mile swim, while the breaststroke is led by Barnett, the butterfly is led by Collins, and the freestyle is led by Snider, Covell and Stirling. During individual races, Snider participates in various events. “I usually start off with the 500, then I swim the 50 freestyle and the 200 relay.” As a senior, Snider says it will be tough to beat his sophomore year when he competed in the relay at a state meet. A lot has changed in the training preparation from last year, including a new assistant coach, Maggie who really works the team hard and gives golden workouts. Head Coach Niebch is still pushing the team towards their goals.

4suzanna gormely

Off field distractions take away from athletes on field play OpiniOn by wyatt Bush

Over 250 college football players were drafted into the NFL in May. However, we seem to really only focus on two. One is infamous for his off the field antics, such as partying with celebrities like Drake, or going to rival school parties and getting wasted. I think we all know who this player is, that being Johnny Manziel. The other is known for a much different reason. Since the formation of the NFL we have never had an openly gay player drafted into the NFL. That was until Michael Sam was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Great achievement right? It seems as if we have finally made progress in closing the gap of sexual orientation in high profile occupations. But how are we closing that gap when that is the only thing we focus on when we look at a potential NFL player? The idea of equality means simply that everybody is treated equally, meaning we give the same kind of attention that we would give anyone September 19, 2014

else. 255 other players were being analyzed on their athletic skills and how they could contribute to a football team, but when the conversation switched to Manziel or Sam, we immediately began asking how their off the field lives would affect the football team.

Media Feeding Frenzy The media had a blast criticizing the social life of Johnny Manziel and loved to bring up his numerous parties and high profile friends, such as Drake. I just don’t get it. Cows are around other cows, ducks are around other ducks, homeless people are around other homeless people, we naturally associate with people who are generally in the same demographic as ourselves. Celebrities associate with other celebrities, it is really simple. I think we heard about Johnny Manziel going to Vegas more than we heard about how he won a Heisman trophy and was the most electrifying player in College Football. We heard more about his mobility to other states to party than his

mobility around the pocket. If only Manziel could escape the barrage of pointless media questions like he escaped the nation’s best defenders trying to knock his head off on the field. Unfortunately for Sam, the discussion began about his football skills…. but that was before he came out and said he was homosexual. Ever since then all we talked about was how other players would feel around him in the locker room, and how NFL general managers would ignore him in the draft (which they did for about 2 hours).

SaM loveS Football If I were a player, I think I would would feel great having a former SEC Defensive Player of the Year on my team, who cares about his love life, especially since his most loyal love has always been football. And yes, Michael Sam had a rather poor performance at the NFL Combine, posting a pretty low 40 yard dash speed for a player of his position, and achieving high school level success on the

vertical jump. We are now four months removed from the draft, and the NFL season is in full swing. Johnny Manziel is for now a backup quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, and Michael Sam is currently a practice squad player for his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys. Manziel has calmed down his turnt up ways after work, and Michael Sam is still fighting for a job. When you look at it, it seems as if things worked out perfectly for each of these players Manziel is getting the chance to fight and learn in the Brown’s system while also learning to become a leader and mature from Brian Hoyer. Sam is living his football dream, playing for the team he adored while growing up in Texas, and may soon be able to contribute to a defense that desperately needs all the talent they can get. These stories themselves are intriguing as they are, so lets focus on a more football oriented conversation and throw away the useless information of their off the field lives. 19

P D

T HAS BEEN A TEENAGE LIFE-

TIME since terrorists crashed airplanes into the Twin Towers of New York and the Pentagon in Washington. “We’re really not old enough to remember 9/11, but I think we realize the impact it has had on the country and now we have to take every threat seriously,” Trey Nicholson, a senior, said. Today’s high school students recognize the term terrorism immediately because they have grown up in a “post 9/11” world. Before 9/11, Americans lived in a much different world, during a time where no major terrorist act had been committed on American soil. This “new world” is vastly different from the older one, and has farreaching implications.

WE ARE TOUCHABLE The generation who grew up well before 9/11 never truly believed that the U.S could be targeted for a terrorist attack. “When 9/11 hit, it shook me and I think people were naive in thinking we were untouchable,” Lynn Archer, Economics teacher, said. The younger generation is used to the U.S being vulnerable. “I think we have grown accustomed to terrorism and we always hear things about other countries attacking us and I think a lot of that is media driven, but we’re used to it,” Wyatt Harris, a senior, said. Since 9/11, the U.S. approach to terrorism has changed drastically. The government created the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration and has spent an upwards of $740 billion to date, according to mic. com, a news website.

PATRIOT AC T CHANGES PRIVAC Y One of the responses to 9/11, the passage of the Patriot Act, has caused different reactions from the public. The Act, which increased federal powers to keep an eye on personal information such as credit cards and phone calls, allows the government access to these accounts without a citizen’s permission. The reasoning behind this, and why it passed in Congress, was because the leaders felt that they might have prevented 9/11 had they been able to hear conversations between the perpetrators ahead of time. “I don’t really have a problem with the government as long as they’re protecting us

Teeing off Boys golf aspires to State playoffs by jackson kennelly sports editor

see TERROR on page 2

4 Katie fricKer

The obsessive rage of fantasy football is today’s NFL reality

by wyatt bush staff writer

September Spreads

n the past 20 years, the online sensation

of Fantasy Football has risen dramatically. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, 27 million people ayed fantasy sports in 2007, with a rough 10 percent increase per year. In 2006, 19.4 million people age 12 and ove in the US and Canada played fantasy orts. High School kids make up a great porn of this statistic, with kids all over the untry getting together in hopes of achievg the prize of champion. Some students have special traditions hen it comes to draft day. “We usually ess really nice in suits and stuff, and we ve a draft, and we make it really official,” n Snider, a senior, said. Fantasy Football also offers a diversity in e types of drafts a player can participate in, well as different scoring formats and team uctures. Two of the most popular draft pes are auction drafts and snake drafts. An auction draft is one in which partici-

ptember 19, 2014

pants put a player up for bidding, and use the money alotted to them to fill up a 15 man roster. The price of a player is attributed to how many fantasy points they are expected to contribute.

the snake draft

Joanne AIRE-OAIHIMIRE, Wyatt BUSH, Abigail CARDENAS, Ryan DENSON, Bianca DYDYK, Nicole NERI, Camryn MAYER, Lindsay MURPHY, Erika SODERSTROM, John TRACY, Rachel WEBB, Casey WINDSOR EDITORIAL POLICY: The CSPress is published by the Journalism class of Cactus Shadows High School. The newspaper serves the students and staff of Cactus Shadows High School and as a connection to the surrounding community. The objective of the CSPress is to publish a factual, informative and entertaining newspaper, and to provide a forum for the expression of diverse viewpoints. The opinions and views expressed do not necessarily represent the viewsthere of thealways administration, the to adviser, With the college football season coming to a close, seems be aor all CSPress staffbetween members. this year and previous mad dash to the finish line. The only difference The CSPress is also published online, at season is the instituted four team playoff to determine the champion. cactusshadowscspress.com. While the idea is nice in theory, letting the best ofthe the settle out onthat The editors reserve rightbest to reject any material the field rather than computers, but inisreality the new system does not libelous, obscene, or poses an immediate andsolve material disruption to the educational environment. the ultimate problem. Before fans of the number three ranked team would WE VALUE YOUR OPINION. EMAIL YOUR LETTER TO CSPRESS. make their case for being in the national OPINION@gmail.COM championship and a Ifsolid The CSPress valuesgame opinions fromusually its readers. you have case could made. Now it read, willplease thatwrite something to saybeabout anything you had a letter to the editor and send it to cspress.opinion@gmail. number five ranked team staking their com. Letters be typed, than college 100 wordsfootin length and claim at amust chance to less claim signed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for length. ball’s most valuable prize. The CSPress will not print letters that are obscene, libelous or Notarget matter how many teams you put that an individual. into a playoff, there always be whinAdvertisements that arewill obscene, misleading, or illegal to minors willresume not be printed. The CSPress reserves right to ing and comparisons of whothehas reject any advertisement. To place an ad, contact the adviser or the most quality wins and worse losses. the Advertising Manager at (480) 575-2493. Peer media alike Thepressure CSPress is a from memberfans of theand Columbia Scholastic “No matter how many teams will slowly shape theScholastic playoffPress system Press Association, the National Association, you put in a playoff there will into something more familiar the Journalism Education Association, andof theMarch Arizona Interscholastic Press Association. Madness.

COMMENTARY

PLAYOFF WILL NOT PAY OFF JACKSON KENNELLY

always be whining...”

To see college football turn into colThe CSPress lege basketball would truly be a travCactusseason Shadows High Schoolis watered esty. In college basketball, the relevancy of regular games P.O. Box 426 down due to the fact every team can afford a few losses and 64 (not including Cave Creek, Arizona 85327 the play-in games) make the playoff. This causes (480) the 575-2400 general college basketball observer to lose interest until one month out of the year. It is all about regular season games inDecember college 12, football. There are4 astronomi2014, Volume 9: Issue cal ratings because every game truly matters in the grand School enrollment: 1765 scheme of things. of copies 1100 However the four game playoff does notNumber decrease theprinted: importance of the regular season games, the more teams the committee adds, the less importance the Advisers: games have. Nobody wants to see that in college football. Lori Hart, Robert Adamson Keep the playoff the way it is now. No 8 team, 16 team, or 64. Keep our game intact and stop changing it so much to DECEMBER the point where it become unrecogniz12, 2014 able.

Arizona football teams center of public attention by JACKSON KENNELLY sports editor

MyAccess, and that’s fine, if dishonest, but there are a few things you should keep in mind next time you do. First, MyAccess is being used by the administration and teachers to gauge how well you know the subject you’re writing

hard as possible for special snowflake you. When it comes to MyAccess, think of the Nike slogan: “Just do it.” This is skill development for college, where the writing requirements will undoubtedly be heavier.

The EDITORIAL represents the consensus view of the members of the Editorial Board. SPORTS

The Editorial Board members are: Christina Holmes, Christina Dragone, Shelby Nichols, Jacob Emnett, Jackson Kennelly, Grace Rowett, Sayge Bolli, Wade Johnson, Sierra Galindo, Nicole Dusanek

THE ACCIDENTAL PORN STAR When people are not actually face-to-face, they tend to speak their minds more readily, being comfortable with things that may make them uncomfortable in person. In this way, sexting is comparable to drinking alcohol – the distance between people acting the same as liquor, as some “elixir of confidence.” When people are not communicating face-to-face, or drunk out of their mind, they tend to be more careful. Like words spoken under the influence, sexting can be disastrous. For the uninitiated, sexting involves a person sending a text of a sexual nature to someone. People send racy text messages to express “IF PEOPLE ENJOY GETTING NUDES, passionate feeling in the moment, without having THEY HAD BETTER STOP LEAKING to deal with the awkwardness of saying it face to THEM.” face. Unless you are dating the person you’ve sent the message to, or are committed to them otherwise, seeing them the next day isn’t always the most comfortable experience. I’m sure all of us have felt tempted to send provocative messages at one time or another. At the very least, we’ve thought about it. High school is a hotbed of hedonism. The act of “sexting” isn’t an entirely teenaged phenomenon either, as older adults use it just as liberally. It’s a human thing, to want that closeness with another person.

JACKSON KENNELLY

Honestly, I don’t see the harm in “sexting” purely through messages. It’s entertaining, and it can liven up an uninteresting conversation. Words are great, but texting nude photos can be dangerous. If I step outside of my hormone-crazed self for a moment, there really is a lot of risk involved. If you send explicit photos to someone, and they send them to others, you can find yourself doubly exposed. Now, if I was about to send a “nude” to someone (assuming anyone wanted to see any of that), I would have to place a lot of trust in that person, and have faith they won’t show everybody and say: “Lmao look at Jackson (insert laughing, crying emojis here).” High school kids nationwide are dealing with the consequences of sending images of their naked bodies to people who have then broken their trust. High schoolers have a fragile enough self-image as is, and things like this can do deeper damage than anyone suspects. Not to mention the legal consequences some teens have suffered as a result of sharing nude pictures. If you are 18 and send a nude photo of your underage girlfriend, you can be charged with sex crimes, a felony conviction can stay with you for the rest of your life. One picture to the wrong person could, quite literally, ruin a life. This is why I’m a proponent of texting, rather than “sexting,” it requires a lot less risk. The bottom line is this: even though people enjoy sexting, the people who forward nude photos to their friends are ruining it for everyone else. The more photos that are leaked, the less likely it is that people will continue to send them. Maybe we might just have to resort to sending our explicit photos through the post.

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December Spreads

DEADLOCK Jordan Nasr, a junior, and Christian Pershina, a junior, working on technique at one of the wrestling team practices. The team is preparing for the state wrestling tournament in February.

by CASEYWINDSOR staff writer

WRESTLING WITH CLASS

There are a total of 15 different weight classes in high school wrestling: 106 , 113, 120, 126, 132 lbs., 138, 145, 152, 160, 170 182 195, 220 and 285 pounds

4CHRISTINA DRAGONE