Sport Seekers

SPORT SEEKERS Cycling Benefits Pg.24

Baseball Recruiting Pg.18

Fall 2019

AFC Coming Soon Pg.12

Team Biographies

Augustus “Gus” Serff-Roberts is a 15 year old young man from, Pennsylvania and is a fan of all major Pittsburgh sports, he also really likes the San Antonio Spurs. Gus enjoys playing nearly every sport that you can think of. These include football, soccer, baseball, tennis, ping pong, spike ball, track, ultimate frisbee, and his favorite sport, basketball. Gus decided to write a story on high school basketball training because he is a high school basketball player currently and is very interested in the process.

In seventh grade, he helped his school team to win the city championship title, and helped his team to the playoffs in his eighth grade year while averaging 12 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Gus would like to play in the NBA when he grows up, but would also like to be a chemical engineer.

Major McIlvain is a 14 year old student at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas. He has played a number of sports including but not limited to, basketball, football, and baseball. His favorite sport is baseball and he has played since he was seven years old. He is a pitcher and middle infielder and loves the game for its competitiveness and the lessons that it can teach you. “I love getting on the mound and being in your own little world, just you and the guy standing 60 feet away; looking him in the eye and saying I’m going to beat you and there’s nothing you can do about it,’’ Major said. He has written an article about the college baseball recruiting process, as it is an experience that he himself hopes to have in a few short years.

As an adult McIlvain dreams to play professional baseball, but second on his list is the occupation of an artificial intelligence engineer.

Taymour Shaikh is a 14 year old passionate athlete who is in love with playing and watching sports. He has played football and basketball throughout middle school and cycles on a regular basis. He has won many awards for his physical performances.

Taymour has written an article about cycling because it is his favorite hobby. He has edited and crafted many graphic designs for the Ezine and has written an article regarding the Health benefits of Cycling. In the future Taymour hopes to become a National Football player and to play for his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Ali Elhagehassan is a 14 year old man with all around skills in every sport. His favorite to play is definitely soccer although his favorite to watch is none other than football. His favorite football team is the Dallas cowboys because as he likes to say “We dem boyz”. In 7th and 8th grade, he carried his school soccer team to 2 city championships while also winning zone track both years as well. Ali wrote a story on soccer because he’s such a huge fan of the sport and the fact that the first major sports team in Austin would be a soccer team intrigued him so much. In the future, Ali would like to be an architect but also wouldn’t say no to a spot on a team in the MLS or better.

Letter From the Editors

Hello viewers we are glad you can join us for this overtime session about sports. Hope you enjoy!

In this Ezine there will be a wide variety of sport related topics. Our Ezine is targeted toward people of all ages. Our goal is to encourage and inform all about the processes of some sports.

Austin FC is the first major sports team that Austin will have. This is a big deal to Austin considering how Austin doesn’t get much of a sports recognition while being the 11th largest city in terms of population in the United States. Austin is also very bike friendly, which is why this Ezine also features a story about the health benefits of cycling. Across America Basketball is a widely played sport. The basketball training procedure is also featured in this magazine. Right behind Basketball is baseball. A story will also be featured about the recruiting process of baseball. As you go through these stories, you will cross some infographics which we urge you to look at. They range from siblings in the NFL to topics like records that are almost guaranteed never to be broken.

During the creation of this Ezine, we had to learn and master multiple different softwares to have success in making it. These softwares include adobe photoshop, adobe illustrator, and adobe indesign. Using a combination of these three softwares, we were able to make an Ezine that we hope is appealing and interesting.Each of us had at least 6 pages to account for, 2 in infographics and 4 in feature stories. Each of us also needed at least 3 interviews to quote in our feature stories. After those necessities were done, we added in some fun games as to keep our readers interested.

This team was really proud of how much fun we were able to make the making of this Ezine.

Even with all the hard work, we all managed to come out everyday with a smile on our faces due to the fact that the day had been a fun and successful one. When learning new skills and coming up with a house style, we had fun with it to represent our nature as a team to show to all that it’s possible to be hardworking and also make a good time with it. What took a lot of work for each of us, was the infographics. Not only did we have to make our own versions of original drawings, but we also had to make them visually pleasing and make sure we gave credit at the end.

We all worked hard to provide information to the best of our ability. We wanted to achieve a magazine that anyone could enjoy. We hope that you enjoy our creation and keep on Seeking for Sports!

Taymour Shaikh Ali Elhagehassan Major McIlvain Gus Serff-Roberts

Table of Contents 6. Preparing for the Pros 10. The Gold and the Cold 12. How Bout’ Dem Oak Trees 16. Brother Against 18. The Next Level 22. Upsets 24. Riding Into the Wind 28. Leaders of the Gridiron

Preparing for the Pros High School basketball Training

By Augustus “Gus” Serff-Roberts

B

me point out my weaknesses.

Well, not my weaknesses but the asketball continues to things that I have to work on like grow in popularity as a sport all nitpicking my shot. Things that around the world and is naturally were wrong with my shot that becoming more competitive. would help my shot to get better More high school players are and quicker and more consistent.” trying to take themselves to Landers said. the college and pro levels, so While high school basketball training gets harder. However, training is getting more rigorous this training isn’t just for on the on the court, the players are doing court, but mental preparation and more things off the court as well. preparation for life off the court average sum of the two teams Landers also explains how he did as well. scores at the end of the game has work off the court as well.

High school basketball players are risen from 82 to 115.

“Just in your free time you gotta being pushed beyond their limits To go along with this, more and go out and hoop, you gotta watch now more than ever. High schools more people have been trying to game film, evaluate yourself, like around the world are constantly incorporate the three point shot what you did wrong and what you trying to be more competitive in into their game rather than the did right. Then go to the court on their own respective divisions. traditional paint scoring. Three your own time and work on your According to Isaih Landers, a point shots have always been game” Landers said former high school basketball seen as a high risk high reward Game film is also becoming a big player, situation. In the past, coaches part of high school game now “I’d say about everyday from and players alike have preferred as well. High school players are everybody honestly,” Landers shooting and scoring close to trying to incorporate aspects of said. “Coaches will make you the basket because it is less risky.

NBA players strategy into their work. They will make you try However, as the average score games more and more. Landers hard and push yourself every day.” sum in high school rises, and tried to do this when he was in As the high school basketball basketball evolves, three point high school as well. training continues to develop, shots have naturally become more “You gotta watch game film, study so does the game of basketball apart of the game. Landers said he different basketball players, and itself. According to often worked with his trainer on take things that you like that they the website maxpreps, trying to improve his shot. do and make it apart of your since the early 1990s “I trained with a trainer for one game” Landers said.

6 to the present day, the year,” Landers said. “He helped With the game evolving and

Basketball hoop at LBJ high school. Photo by Augustus Serff-Roberts

getting more competitive, more and more high school basketball players are trying to take their game to the next level. Like the college and professional levels. However, lots of young players don’t know how to take their game to the next level.

Performance enhancement specialist coach Curtis Jones on the website Coachup, explains.

“A lot of times kids, they really don’t know how to work hard. If you tell them go work hard, go work hard on your craft, well, a lot of kids in high school, they

don’t know what hard looks like, you know, so you have to show them what hard looks like” Jones said Training with a professional makes a huge impact on the player’s playing ability not only on the court, but their mentality off the court as well. Jones thinks that it makes a huge impact as well.

“I think it makes a huge impact, you know, let’s not talk about college, let’s just talk about kids that don’t really have the confidence, that they might not play college basketball, and they

just want to play high school, they just want to be good high school players, they just want to be good at that so my skill training along with the mental preparation of it, it helps them get the confidence that they need to just be good high school players, and it helps them build the confidence off of the court, you know, in the classroom because with any sport, you have to have a certain focus in practice and a lot of kids just don’t have that focus” Jones said 7 Basketball isn’t only fun

Student dribbling a basketball at LBJ high school Photo by Augustus Serff-Roberts

bring people together. Landers, although he is not playing in college right now, still plays all the time for fun, and explains how it helps him get his mind off of things.

“I enjoy it because it helps me get my mind off things like if I’m going through hard times or something I could just got to the court and free my mind, just shooting some baskets and stuff,” Landers said.

Landers also explained how he enjoys getting to meet new people.

“It’s also fun playing with different teammates and meeting new people” Landers said The game of basketball will always and forever be evolving and will continue to get more competitive as time goes on, and trainers continue to do what they do best because it is what they love.

“I do this because of 8

what it did to me,” Jones said.

“Again, going back to basketball, because as a former player and coach. At first I was a really skilled athlete, you know for me I was just a hard working athlete, so when I saw what it did for me, that hard work and dedication, I just wanted to give it to the other students.”

High School players continue to surprise the world with their skills and hopefully they take that talent beyond just high school.

“I enjoy it because it helps me get my mind off things, like if I’m going through hard times or something I can just go to the court and free my mind.”

- Former hish school basketball player Isaih Landers

Shooting Form When Shooting a basketball, remember these for things: BEEF Balance: Keep both feet planted Elbows: Keep your arm at about 90 degree angle

Follow through after you shoot

Eyes: Look where you are shooting Follow through: Focus on your arm after you shoot

Look where you’re shooting

Arm at about a 90 degree angle

Plant your feet and maintain balance

9

The

Gold

an

Best and worst Spor

Phoenix: Cardinals, Coyotes, Diamondbacks, Suns Championships Since 2000: 1 Standout players: Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Johnson, Steve Nash Los Angeles

Phoenix

Los Angeles: Angels, Chargers, Clippers, Dodgers, Kings, Lakers, Rams Championships Since 2000: 9 Standout Players: Kobe Bryant, Clayton Kershaw, Aaron Donald

The top four most viewed sports leagues in America are the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. The information included are the teams for each given city, the amount of championships the city has in the past 20 years, and standout players that played in that city. Some city’s sports have been on fire in the 21st century while bringing the city gold, and others have been relatively cold. However, just because one city hasn’t seen as much success as others, doesn’t mean that they haven’t had their fair share of great players.

10

nd the

Cold

rts Cities in America

Boston: Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox Championships Since 2000: 12 Standout Players: Tom Brady, David Ortiz, Paul Pierce Cleveland: Browns, Cavaliers, Indians Championships since 2000: 1 Standout Players: LeBron James, Baker Mayfield, Fransisco Lindor

Boston Cleveland

New York

New York: Giants, Islanders, Jets, Knicks, Mets, Nets, Rangers, Yankees Championships Since 2000: 4 Standout Players: Eli Manning, Carmelo Anthony, Derek Jeter

Atlanta

Atlanta: Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Thrashers Championships Since 2000: 0 Standout Players: Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Dominique Wilkins

Graphic by Augustus “Gus� Serff-Roberts

11

Bend it How Like Beckham bout’ dem oak trees

By Ali Elhagehassan

E

very city takes immense pride in their sports team when they win championships and go on to defend the title. When they win seasons, the city has the pleasure of boasting their superiority to others. Austin hasn’t had this privilege in a long time but now it looks like they will soon.

The closest Austin has come to getting a sports team they could cheer for was the Austin Aztex, a team that plays for the league under the Major League Soccer (MLS). The soccer team didn’t get much recognition and stills relies on high school fields to play. While this may have been enough for some people, others were still less than satisfied. Despite these factors, Austin has decided to add a new soccer team.

However, on January 15, 2019, also when the team was founded, Austin FC (AFC) was officially announced as an MLS team that would begin playing in 2021. The team has already started construction, chosen a head coach, and has made an academy team for youths that are interested in continuing to the MLS. “I think its an implicit truth that, 12

A digital model of what the AFC stadium is expected to look like after co The stadium is predicted to hold 20,500 people in it. Courtesy of Austin F

yes team wants to win but that’s the implicit message”, Narita said, “I think the biggest thing is find a place in the community and then become one of the factors that can unify the city, emotionally and spiritually or physically and then become one of the symbols Austin can be proud

of.”

These are the goals that AFC academy head coach, Junro Narita, hopes to see in the first season of the MLS playing Austin FC team. He acknowledges the fact that the team wants to be successful in their first season, but also understands that as they’re

onstruction.

FC

so new, they should focus on getting the Austin community to accept them.

“I think they’re gonna do good but all good teams struggle their first season but that’s what happens to new teams that come into the league.” Lopez said.

Tony Lopez, a starter on

the UNC soccer team, also thinks along the lines of a team being relatively inexperienced, especially in a major league.

Nevertheless, Lopez seems to believe that AFC has potential to do good in their first season.

“I would say probably not because they would still be a new team looking for new

players and still building a base.

I would expect soccer to be a bigger thing in Austin after the first season” Shah said.

Rohan Shah, an austin FC soccer fan, had two takes on AFC’s success in their first season and,. He thinks that they will struggle with actual playing and

13

The name of the team’s city is held by the oak.

Main color scheme of AFC; green and black.

Recogonizes the roots of the sports with the letters FC for Football Club.

Eleven leaves stand for the eleven players of AFC on the field.

Roots symbloize the 4 parts of Austin; North, East, South, and West.

Connected oaks represent connection between the club and city.

The meaning of the parts in the AFC logo. Courtesy of Austin FC

new, but he also thinks that the culture will change, mostly in the fact that more people will start playing soccer.

“For the top team you will have to go nationwide and then internationally so it could be anywhere. The youth academy answer combined with that answer will be we want a 45 here in Austin area player pool and if we can produce a player from Austin that can eventually sign a professional deal with the top team that’s the ultimate goal. So Austin area first then the broader area of Texas then we have to go national.” Narita said.

As AFC has yet to recruit anyone for their MLS team, they need to search everywhere to find anyone that would sign a contract with the team.

With AFC being such a new team, it may be 14

a challenging task especially with other, more experienced teams. The youth team on the other hand will mostly, if not all, be composed of kids from the Austin area. What will also be taken into account with the youth team is if they can, and will, sign a contract with the professional team.

“I would assume so, I think people want to represent the city and the family and where they grew up. I would definitely say that’s one of the intriguing factors” said Narita. “I would say they would see the excitement and beauty in starting something from scratch and then I think they’ll see Austin FC has that element and you automatically becoming a big part of that brand new blank campus and you to become the

contribution factor, I think that’s exciting for many” concluded Narita.

After being asked whether or not he thinks soccer players from Austin would be inclined to go to AFC versus other teams, Narita answered with the mindset that the players would want to represent their family, their city, their childhood home. In addition to this, Narita thinks that many players will find it as

Photo by Ali Elhagehassan

an amazing opportunity for players to help start a new team from scratch and possibly have a chance to be the star player and recognized more than they would be at other clubs.

He stated the same reasons that Narita had predicted would be factors for the players.

“I think that’s great, like I said I mean soccer is just growing in the U.S. and I

gonna have a reason to like wanna play soccer. Support like where the MLS here is and stuff.”

When asked about how AFC coming to Austin will affect the culture and youth, Lopez had a lot to say on the subject.

He has confidence in the fact that with the MLS around and more exposure to soccer, kids are going to see and believe that they have more of a chance to find a career in soccer once they get older and more kids will start playing. He also says that even if they don’t see a future in the sport, they would get more involved with it because they finally have a team to cheer for.

“I think so, after seeing some professional players play they would want to join in on that” said Shah.

Shah also thinks that with the city becoming more active with the team that kids would start getting in on the action however they can.

After about a month of construction, the team’s head executive, Erik Samuelson, “I would definitely go think it’s awesome that Austin revealed that the Wimbledon to Austin FC, it would be is gonna be able to have it. stadium should be completed awesome to play in front of my The culture for sure is gonna around June 2020. Academy family, my friends, people that I grow, there’s gonna be more trainings are usually held in the know and just play for my city” opportunities for like kids from evening hours after school, and answered Lopez. the area to go home grown top team practices will usually After asking Lopez last name, and I think it’s just it’s gonna be held in the morning hours. who is also an Austinite, where be a better place to be around he would be inclined to go, soccer and having Austin FC without hesitation he said is gonna be awesome. Now he said without hesitation they have a reason like, ‘yo we 15 that he would go to Austin FC. have the MLS here’, and they’re

“I think the biggest thing is find a place in the community and then become one of the factors that can unify the city, emotionally and spiritually or physically and then become one of the symbols Austin can be proud of.”

- Coach Junro Narita

Brother Against Brother Comparing Siblings in the NFL

By Ali Elhagehassan

Devin Mcourty

Peyton Manning

Joey Bosa

16

Interceptions: 25 Yards: 425 Touchdowns: 1

Record: 186-79-0 Yards: 71940 Touchdowns: 539 Completion Rate: 65.3%

V

Games: 44 Sacks: 37.0 Solo Tackles: 131 Forced Fumble: 5

V

The NFL has multiple pairs of brothers that play on different teams and even some that play on the same teams. Below shows different statistics of brothers based on their respectable positions. By putting these stats up side-by-side, we can compare and contrast which of the brothers is better than the other.

S

VS

VS

Interceptions: 18 Yards: 174 Touchdowns: 1

Jason McCourty

Record: 116-116-0 Yards: 56537 Touchdowns: 362 Completion Rate: 60.3%

Eli Manning

Games: 8 Sacks: 7.0 Solo Tackle: 17 Forced Fumble: 1

Source: ESPN

Nick Bosa

17

The Next Level

The College Baseball Recruiting Process Inside and Out

Baseball player diving back into first base on a close play Courtesy of Ralph Arvesen

M

any high school players aspire to play college ball, unfortunately, very few players are able to make it to that level.

Those who do make it are able to effectively use tools that allow them to play for a college baseball team. There are many

18

tools and methods, and it can be difficult for an aspiring ballplayer to navigate them effectively.

Some players choose to display their skills through a college showcase, which is a baseball event that college coaches attend to scout new talent. In the case of Aidan

Parente, a senior high school baseball player his efforts were successful.

“That was pretty recently, I went to a camp up in New York,” Parente said. “it was actually the first one that my brother went to. After the camp, I ran really well, and two colleges talked to me because of my running, and [I got] one offer.”

While showcases can be very effective, it is important to find the right one. A good understanding of the recruiting process can be an instrumental tool in determining a player’s future.

Andrew Prater is the CEO of Austin Baseball Club, a training organization for high school baseball players.

“The most effective strategy is first understanding the process,” said Prater. “College scouts recruit players who have the physicality, tools, performance, and grades to play in college. Plenty have desire, but desire alone doesn’t win National Championships.”

Different players have the ability and talent to play at different levels. A player’s skillset is often unique, and can

dictate their baseball future.

“Understanding your player profile and where your tools rate currently and where they project is paramount,” said Prater. “Less than 6 percent of high school baseball players

into pro prospects at all levels of college baseball by the time they are 21. Find the right college program; develop; get better; you never know.

Prior to attending an eval camp or showcase take time to

High school games and clinics are often attended by college scouts looking for fresh talent to come play for their school.

“Getting noticed,” as Prater said, is the goal of all aspiring college baseball players, but it

A scout evaluates a pitcher’s velocity during a game Courtesy of James G

play in college (division one, division two, division three, and junior college) so understanding which collegiate programs are the right fit should be the starting place for each player and family.

Not all 17 year olds are DI prospects but many develop

contact coaches who will be in attendance is a solid strategy for building relationship and name recognition. At evals and showcase these two tools stand out the most: arm strength and speed. Come out throwing lazers and running like the wind and you will be noticed.”

can be difficult on one’s own.

This is why it is often helpful to have an advocate with a network of college coaches such as a high school coach or Prater.

“ABC has had hundreds and hundreds of players play at the next level and my 19

list of college contacts is deep,” said Prater. “I have a fluid list of close to 100 college coaches that I have relationship with and I send ABC player info and profiles. I make them aware of players that I feel

consult and mentor individual players and families as they vet which showcase events they are going to attend (or want to attend). Not all showcase events are fruitful and can be an expensive and a

at a high enough level you can’t compete,” said Prater.

“Beyond these skills though, coaches search for intangible aspects of a players game.

“They look for players who compete, those who hate to

major waste of time. I contact individual coaches prior to and after ABCers attend evals/ showcases to advocate on their behalf.”

High school baseball players often put major focus on developing tangible skills such as arm strength and speed.

“You gotta have the tools. If you can’t run, throw and hit

lose more than they love to win. Great teammates is a big one, [a player needs] humility and respect for others and the game. You have to have discipline and the ability to balance baseball, academics, social. You need to be invaluable. You don’t have to possess undeniable talent to become an invaluable asset,” said Prater. Kyle Crookes,

Players attend a showcase to get noticed by college scouts Courtesy of Tom Hagerty

have the tools, projection, makeup and grades to play at the next level. I also receive emails from college coaches sharing their recruiting needs for a specific grad class in case I may be aware of a player who fits that role. ABC teams play tournaments in front of college coaches and scouts during the summer and fall seasons. I

22

20

head coach and recruiter of the University of Central Missouri, thinks similarly, as he said, “Talent is necessary, but I would contend more important are the type of players recruited in terms

head, or even show any bad body language at all, you just have to stay positive. And someone who always picks up their teammates too, if your teammate strikes out yo gotta be the first one over there to have their back, or if they do something good, you gotta be the first one out there.

Everyone’s favorite teammate basically.”

When asked about what they love about the game, Prater, Parente, and Crookes pointed out the relationships and life skills and lessons that baseball provided for them.

“When I was younger, baseball was a competitive outlet for me. I loved playing catch; hitting balls; putting on the gear and competing with my friends. As a catcher, I loved being intimately involved with the strategy of the game – calling pitches, calling out where to throw the ball;

“The most effective strategy is first understanding the process. College scouts recruit players who have the physicality, tools, performance, and grades to play in college.”

-Andrew Prater of personality and other intangible skills.” Parente also values the importance of being a good teammate and a strong mental game. He said, “[You have to be] someone that works well with their team and doesn’t get down on themselves, if you strike out, or make a bad play in the field, you can’t hang your

protecting the plate. When I signed my professional contract, baseball became a job. A way to put food on the table and a continuation of my life long dream to play in the Major Leagues. I liked that my job was baseball. When I became a coach, I like that baseball reveals character in such a powerful way because baseball is a game of failure; and when people are forced to process failure, as often as they are when playing baseball, you really get to see what people are made of,” Prater said.

Many baseball players feel the same, and wish to play the game as long as possible. For many, this means continuing their journey on to college baseball.

Baseball is a beautiful game, and players wish to stay involved for as long as possible.

“Baseball has so many lessons that can prepare us for life.

There is no clock but there is a tempo,” said Crookes. “There is hardship and adversity and it can be viewed as success depending on who you are.”

21

Upsets Upsets

By Major McIlvain Source: ESPN

When When

Sports Sports

Upset Percentage Non-Upset Percentage

NFL: 33% Upset Rate

MLB: 42% Upset Rate

NHL: 41% Upset Rate 22

NBA: 30% Upset Rate

Surprise

the

Fans

An upset in sports is when a team that is not expected to win emerges as the victor of a game or match. Many factors play a role in the upset overall chaos of gameplay. In basketball, there are many possesions loss probability to balance out. In more chaotic sports like hockey, where complete possesion is rarely held, upsets are common. Another factor that plays into upset likelyhood is season length as seen above.

Ultimately, these unexpected outcomes are one thing that draw people 200

Upset Percentage Above 40% Upset Percentage Below 35%

150

Season Length

s

100

50

0

MLB

NHL

NBA

NFL

23

Riding Into the Wind

Health Benefits of Cycling

By Taymour Shaikh

c

24

Cyclist Jimmy Montreuli, cycles hard across the streets of Austin.Montreuli cycles on a regular basis to help keep his cardiovascular system stable.

Photo Courtesy of Jimmy Montreuli

yclists feel the cool wind tap their skin when they cycle. The sweat rushing down their body, and the peaceful environment as they cruise through the air.

People cycle for fun, but others are encouraged by cycling’s tremendous benefits that can increase both physical and mental health.

Cycling is a sport that is widely implemented in Europe and Asia, even recently making its appearance in the Olympics.

A survey conducted in 2016, proved that more than 50 percent of Americans knew how to ride a bike but only 12.4 percent of Americans cycle regularly. Of that 12 percent, Austin is ranked the second bike friendly city in America. Ausin is also well known for its healthy environment and proactive society. What many people don’t know is that cycling has multiple health benefits that can prolong life and get you into and can keep you in good shape.

Jimmy Montreuli, professional cyclist, participates in multiple cycling races and is a consistent and practicing cyclist. Montreuli loves to cycle and enjoys every moment.

“Cycling is a fun and challenging way to stay in shape. Cycling keeps me centered,” Montreuli said.

“It has affected me profoundly.”

ic by Graph

haikh our S Taym

“Cycling is a fun and challenging way to stay in shape and cycling keeps me centered. It has affected me profoundly”

Montreuli has also had multiple benefits from his cycling experiences.

“Cycling is an outlet of freedom I don’t get from other activities and it helps me lower my stress, and it also helps increase my strength, and cardiovascular endurance,” Montreuli said.

Cycling is an aerobic exercise which is targeted to cardiovascular training. With a consistent routine of aerobic exercises, your cardiovascular system begins to strengthen. A strong Cardiovascular endurance allows your heart to pump blood faster throughout the heart and increases lung capacity which reduces chances of getting asthma and other lung related issues.

A reason why Montreuli may feel lowered stress is because, when you work out, you release a hormone called endorphin in the form of sweat. Endorphins react with the brain receptors that serve as pain reducers. They are are analgesics, which take out the

- Professional cyclist Jimmy Montreuli

perception of stress. They also trigger happier mood hormones.

When you sweat you don’t only release endorphins but you also release body fat which eventually will help you stay in shape.

Cycling requires many different aspects that contribute to a good ride.

According to Health Coach, Brando Cabellero cycling works out a majority of your muscles and can have a great impact on health.

“Cycling typically works most muscles with the lower extremities like calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae which are responsible for trunk stability,” Cabellero said. “These muscles can be important to work on because they generate better coordination and balance which allows you to cycle better. “ I would encourage most healthy individuals to try to participate in cycling as a great

option for increasing activity level, which is both low impact and requires minimal skill.”

Cabellero said.

David Meyerhofer, a cyclist, has family members who suffer from great cardiovascular diseases. Maintaining a healthy heart and overall wellness are things Meyerhofer strives for.“Sadly, my mother and her siblings all died of heart related issues, some at my age,” Meyerhofer said. “I try to cycle as much as I can so that I can prevent the same heart related issues in my family.”

Meyerhofer also cycles as regulated by his doctor to prevent his family heart related issues.“Cycling is a good cardio workout, but more importantly it helps me keep my heart healthy because that’s how my doctor recommends for me to prolong my life,” said Meyerhofer.

A study by the American Journal of Public Health found that every hour of 25

Rectus Abdominus this muscle allows a person to bend forward, such as when they bend over to pick something off the ground or when they perform a sit-up or crunch.

Hamstring The hamstrings dunction to bend your knees and move your hips.

They help with leg mobility

Patella Quadricpets Quadricepts work to extend ) the knee.

The help move the body to do normal fucntions, like walking and moving

Calves

The calves help extend the ankle allowing the body to properly walk. The calves are extended from the bottom of the ACL to the Ankle

helps protect the knee joints and allows knee movement

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

Your ACL is a key component in knee stablility.

It helps with sudden direction changes which allow knee mobility

Cycling important muscles. Graphic by Taymour Shaikh

26

approximately one hour to a person’s life expectancy. Another factor that can affect your health is food. Food can have a big impact on physical performance because food acts as fuel, and if you don’t find good fuel you won’t function to the best of your own performance. Cabelloro talks about how some foods that can affect and improve a cyclist as well as other athletes.

“I would definitely recommend eating many carbs before you cycle. Carbs are a quick source of energy which jump start the body.

Eating lean meats like salmen can really help build muscle and strengthen your body. Fresh fruits and vegetables serve as a good source of nutrition. For muscle soreness try having cherry juice.”

Cabellero said.

A common term used by most aerobically based athletes is “Pasta loading.” It is a dietary Strategy that preps athletes for energy storage. It is used by all kinds of athletes like runners, cyclists, and soccer players. Montreuli recommends aerobic based athletes to follow this tip.

“Before I participate in cycling races, I like to ‘Pasta load’ which is when I have a have a large amount of carbohydrates before a race which helps me store a large amount of energy so that I can use it all in one go for optimal performance” said Montreuli.

Cycling has tremendous benefits that affect people both mentally and physically. Cycling can additionally be good for the environment by reducing carbon emissions from cars.

The upcoming Summer 2020 Olympics, in Japan, will feature

Jimmy Montreuli cycles through the streets of Austin.

Photo courtosey of Jimmy Montreuli

multiple men and women cycling races. Due to multiple traces of carbon emissions from cars.

Cycling is a natural and healthy way to reduce the amount of carbon being released into the atmosphere. Most countries tend to bike for both the health benefits and environment. Although, it can have tremendous health benefits it is important to also have fun.

“My favorite part about cycling, is the feel of the wind,” said Meyerhofer “I enjoy every second increasing my speed and enjoying life.”

Graphic by Taymour Shaikh

27

Player

Leaders of th

2018 NFL Quarterbacks r

Passing Touchdowns

By Taymour Shaikh

ROETHLISBERGER

34 MAHOMES

RYAN

50 35

4,924

GOFF

35 28

4,688

he Gridiron

ranked by statistics

Completion Percentage

Passing yardage Steelers

5,129

5,097

The NFL has multiple different quarterbacks which have different strengths and weakesses.

Although it is hard to determine who is the best quarterback, here are the top four quarterbacks of the 2018 season ranked by their amount of passing yards, throwing completion percentage, and amount of passing touchdowns.

67%

66%

69.4%

64.9%

29