Legend by LASA Ezine

Taking the Leap Towards Victory How Texas is transitioning between head coaches Page 12

Table

Contents

Tennis - Page 4 Page 6 - Dedication (Junior Tennis)

Football - Page 9 Page 12 - Texas’ Transition

Soccer - Page 15 Page 18 - Austin Men’s Soccer Association Page 20 - World Cup Predictions

Basketball - Page 24 Page 26 - Amateur Athletic Union

Cycling - Page 29 Page 32 - The Art of Pedaling

Photo by Brint03

Rafael Nadal photo by Christopher Johnson. Photos not taken by staff are used with permission or under fair use. Cover Photo courtesy of Michael Ainsworth//The Dallas Morning News

Biographies

From left to right: Vijay Veeraraghavan: Vijay has been practicing tennis since he was 7 years old. He plays competitive tennis and was ranked 69th in Texas in the premier level of junior tennis competition. He is ranked nationally in junior tennis and also competed for the Kealing basketball A team in seventh and eighth grade. His favorite tennis player is Rafael Nadal. Varun Sudunagunta: Varun enjoys all science and math courses, especially biology. Varun swims for the South Austin Area Barracudas in the summer, and this will be his fourth year swimming for them. His favorite stroke is backstroke. Varun participates in Science Olympiad and has been participating for 4 years now. Varun recently placed eighth in the nation for the National French Exam. He hopes to become an oncologist. Ari Takvorian: Ari enjoys playing soccer. He has been playing since he was in the fourth grade, and played on the LASA Freshman team this year. Ari is part Greek, and he goes to Greece every summer to visit his family. His favorite soccer teams are Fulham FC, the Greek National Team and the United States Soccer Team. He has been to soccer games in multiple countries, and hopes to attend a World Cup at some point in his life. Daniel DeGrasse: Daniel enjoys playing football and sleeping. His favorite subject is math, and he is in Algebra II. He plays on the offensive line and hopes to play varsity next year. His favorite football team is the Stanford Cardinal. He hopes to major in electrical engineering. Shiv Mulgaonker: Shiv enjoys being part of the debate team, and loves running track as well. In his free time he likes hanging with friends and family, watching movies, running, sleeping and working on his Algebra I skills. In middle school, Shiv played on his schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball B team, and his favorite professional team is by far the Spurs. He hopes to have a profession in law.

Global Games By Vijay Veeraraghavan

Sports are played in abundance around the earth and some are practiced more than others. The world’s most popular sport soccer is fairly cheap to practice, because one only needs a ball to play it. The other top five sports are practiced by millions of people and are also watched by millions of fans.

Volleyball The U.S. women’s beach volleyball team has medaled in the past three Olympics. The men’s team has placed in the top four at four out of the 13 Summer Olympics which held volleyball as an event.

1) Soccer 2) Cricket 3) Field Hockey

The European Hockey Federation, based in Dublin, Ireland, is responsible for organizing field hockey games between 45 countries.

Soccer The 2014 World Cup is being hosted for the second time in Brazil. The budget for the event is a whopping $13.3 billion.

4) Tennis 5) Volleyball 04

Field

Sources: www.fih.ch, www.americasquarterly.org, www.ausopen.com, en.wikipedia.org, www.washingtonpost.com, Photo from www.psdgraphics.com

Hockey

Cricket India’s “God of Cricket,” Sachin Tendulkar retires as the leading run scorer in all of cricket’s history. Tendulkar has held this record for five-and-a-half years. He also holds the record for most cricket centuries with 51.

Tennis One of the world’s four largest tennis tournaments is hosted in Melbourne, Australia. The Australian Open offered a record $30.8 million in prize money during the 2014 tournament.

Dedication

Adult Billy Freisenham practices his serve Photo by Vijay Veeraraghavan

What It Takes To Become A Top Level Tennis Player By Vijay Veeraraghavan

weat sizzled on the court, the air was scorching, and Naveen Yarlagadda was playing the toughest match of his life. Pressure was nearly crushing him, but he continued on through the pain. It was a constant battle of outwitting the opponent while dealing with outside distractions. Losing just one game could be devastating to his mental state. He was almost broken mentally, but his opponent was in the same situation. “Tennis is one of the most difficult sports because there is nobody to rely on but yourself when you are faltering. It’s like you’re hung out to dry” Yarlagadda said. The sport of tennis requires intense mental and physical preparation. The junior sport is just as pressuring as the world class according to Brie Rippner, a tennis profes-

sional. This is just one of the aspects which makes all levels of competition challenging. Preparation takes as much effort and it is normal to see top performers practicing for the majority of the day. “The training is allencompassing to get to the top levels,” coach Michael MacVay said. “Tennis is a lifestyle, and you have to live it to be at the top.” MacVay has been coaching tennis players for over 15 years and has had lots of experience with living tennis as a lifestyle. “There is a complicated criteria for a tennis pro as for any professional which the person must follow,” MacVay said. “Tennis professionals live the lifestyle of tennis and their day will usually consist of a morning tennis practice session, grabbing some lunch, some off court work, and an afternoon tennis hitting practice. The off court work includes training to increase

12 year old Keito warms up in preparation for a tennis match. Photo by Vijay Veeraraghavan

strength, endurance, flexibility and speed. Mental aspects of the game will also be improved by visiting a sports psychologist and on most occasions nutritionists are an important part of a professional’s staff.” Junior players develop their tennis game at a young age. The top professionals pick up a racket the moment they can do so. Most of the top 100 players in the world started hitting tennis balls before they were in kindergarten. Tennis coach Brie Rippner reached the Wimbledon final while playing junior tennis. “It took lots of hours, sacrifice, desire and good luck to become one of the world’s best tennis players” Rippner said. It also took a lot of support and sacrifice and investment from people around me. The hunger and determination has to be inside the individual.”

The amount of preparation and hard work within junior levels is comparable to the hard work from the professionals. Rippner was home schooled so she could create more time to improve on her tennis skills and play tournaments. “Mentality is everything. Rippner said. “Every thought and emotion and self talk affects how the body performs. Learning to direct the mind and learning wisdom about how to prepare best for competition is more challenging than anything related to the physical aspects of the game.” Although hours may be spent practicing for tournaments, a simple mental break can be devastating and in most cases will lead to a loss. Upsets in tennis are a common occurrence. When a physically in-form player competes against a physically inferior one and the lower ranked player wins the first couple of games, a weak mentality will deteriorate the higher ranked player’s confidence. “Mentality plays the largest role in the highest levels because

at South Austin Tennis Center.

Coach Michael MacVay supervises his junior tennis players as they compete against one another. Photo by Vijay Veeraraghavan

there are millions of talented men and women out there who are able to learn the physical aspect very well, but the peak is separated by it’s ability to deal with the pressures which are presented in competitions,” MacVay said. “[The Wimbledon final] was pressure filled and exciting,” Rippner said. It was a great memory and a difficult environment to keep mental composure. Even though it was the Wimbledon final—and a lot of people think it was a great accomplishment—I experienced a lot of disappointment at losing that match since I was ahead and had a lot of chances. The disappointment is what I remember most.” “Losing is just a fact of life when it comes to tennis or anything in that matter,” MacVay said. “The important thing about losing is that it isn’t something that derails progress. [Losing] needs to be an evaluative opportunity, and the best players look at a loss as something that motivates or corrects their game.” “Learning to believe in yourself and to

commit yourself after losses builds mental toughness which is invaluable,” Rippner said. “Nothing in life comes without hard work and setbacks.” The highest ranked professionals have overcome these situations and doing so has toughened them mentally. That is one reason that most are able to keep their composure in the most pressuring situations. “When I was about your age, I used to get point penalties.” MacVay said. “I was a screamer, out of frustration, and I was still struggling to learn how to handle the pressuring situations. My mom sat me down and said ‘do you want to keep playing tennis, because the next time you act like that you are done.’ After that, I never had a point penalty after.” The parents must take responsibility of the children’s actions because it can often get out of hand. Many tennis academies these days influence the actions of junior players in the wrong way and it is not unusual to see competitors which practice at academies

scream and throw their tennis rackets repeatedly. Point penalties are used by referees at tennis tournaments to decrease the amount of extreme actions by the junior players out of dissatisfaction. “I have zero personal goals when it comes to my tennis in competition. My tennis goals are always to make sure that every kid gets a proper tennis education, that no kid is getting shortchanged by improper coaching, and if we do things right that way, the program [at South Austin Tennis Center] will continue to grow into a positive community,” MacVay said.

Tennis is a difficult sport which is filled with intense pressure and preparation. Players who hope to reach the highest levels of competition must keep their mental and physical composure. Learning to deal with disappointment is a large part of developing the mental toughness in tennis. “As the competition gets tougher, it starts to weed the people out. Some of them fold like a piece of paper while others stay strong, so you learn who’s tough and who’s not,” MacVay said.

Definition of Elegance

Photo by Sputniktilt

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Photo courtesy of Michael Ainsworth//The Dallas Morning News

Sparkle it up! --------------------------------------------- Tony Botticelli Sparkling Cider ---------------------------------------

Photo by Quinn Dombrowski

Get Recruited

By Daniel DeGrasse

College recruitment is a complex process for high school athletes, and few players make it to the college level. We guide you through the steps a high school prospect has to take to make it to a college team. Do you think you could make it?

START HERE

Eligibily Requirements Before you can be considered as a recruit during high school, you must meet the following standards: a 2.3 GPA, 10 core courses completed by fall of senior year, an acceptable SAT and ACT score (shown in figure 1)

Tips on Getting Recruited From Brett Watson, Recruiter at West Texas A&M

“Have good grades. If you don’t have good grades we can’t look at you.” “Make yourself avalible in the summer, try to attend summer camps.” “[Summer camps are] quite useful. We get to look at you, to see how you move face-to-face rather than on video”

Sources: gophersports.com, Brett Watson, Andrew Jackson

Figure 1 GPA SAT ACT 3.550 400 37 3.000 620 52 2.500 820 68 2.300 900 75 2.000 1020 86

Freshman and Sophomore year During freshman and sophomore year, college coaches cannot directly contact you. You can register for camps, the NCAA eligibility center, and can initiate contact with coaches. Coaches can also send college pamphlets. Self-promotion via highlight videos, sending emails to coaches, and making yourself known is key.

Junior year College recruiters can now contact you, and may send emails, as well as personalized recruitment information. Now you can respond to coach contact, and should began to highlight your strengths to coaches. If you have not already, attending camps and initiating contact becomes very important, as it showcases your talent.

Senior year Coaches can now contact you over the telephone or via written communication. Contact of all forms is permitted. During senior year, up to five official all expenses paid trips are permitted to college campuses, although these visits cannot last longer than 48 hours. During this time, take all official visits, and consider taking unofficial self-paid visits if necessary.

Game Changer

Darrell K Royal Stadium sits empty before a Photo by Daniel DeGrasse

How The Longhorns Will Move Between Coaching Staffs By Daniel DeGrasse

ason Walters, a former Texas offensive guard, will never forget the ones he loses. He described Akeem Ayers, a linebacker for the University of California Los Angeles, as one of the fastest guys he’d ever played against. UCLA’s “pistol offense” was able to dominate Texas and capitalize on a few key turnovers. The final score was 34-12. It was the beginning of the end for Mack Brown’s coaching career. Texas would finish the year unranked, with a record of 5-7, their first losing year since 1997. Walters describes the losing streak of Texas as the result of “Over-evaluating talent, under-developing talent, and not allowing talent to develop.”

Texas’ reduced performance is the main reason coach Mack Brown recently stepped down. Texas, after several years on the downhill slope, has a new coach dedicated to turning the program around, but questions remain as to how well he will do. Charlie Strong’s University of Louisville records were excellent. He took the team from a losing record of 4-8 in 2009 to 12-1 in the 2013 season. Strong’s first head coaching position also included a surprise win in the 2013 Sugar Bowl versus The University of Florida. Strong built an excellent reputation, and received a new contract while at Louisville making him the 7th highest paid active college football coach at the time. Before this, Strong had

Charlie Strong answers questions after being introduced as the new Texas coach Photo courtesy of Mac Engel

made himself known as a powerful defensive coordinator at the University of South Carolina. Kirk Bohls, the head sports columnist for the Austin AmericanStatesman, as well as a former Longhorn himself, expects Strong to “rid the system of all entitlement” and not “coddle the players”, as opposed to Mack Brown’s coaching style. Strong’s coaching style contrasts starkly with Coach Brown’s in many ways. Strong, as a former defensive coordinator, is expected to “try to win with great defense and ball-control offense with some uptempo mixed in” by Bohls. Walters sees Strong being more “‘hands on with his coaching responsibilities,” as well as bringing a “renewed sense

of energy... to the program.” At the core, Strong will center his coaching on very heavy involvement with all players, very high standards for player performance and commitment, and a solid defense. Strong is overall considered to be a much more conservative coach, but one of the main reasons he was hired was to recruit. Mack Brown had missed many important quarter back recruits, and this was a core reason for his Texas’ unsatisfactory performance. In past years, Strong was an effective recruiter at Louisville, and

game

is expected to perform just as well at Texas. Kirk Bohls expects Strong to “recruit the state very well, but it could take some time to build relationships with the high school coaches” Walters addresses Strong’s short term priorities, emphasizing the need for a new quarterback. He discusses a “QB from Denton Guyer [who] is supposed to be a stud.” This QB, Jerrod Heard, has signed with Texas and should come in next year. One thing that Strong has to be careful of is not failing where Mack Brown did. While Brown

produced many wins, and even a national championship win. However, when Vince Young left, Brown had trouble recruiting a new, effective QB. “In my recruiting class there were 22 guys that came in with me. Aside from myself, Chris Whaley, Alex Oakafor, and Kenny Vacarro one else from the 2009 recruiting class ever started a game in their senior year from the list of 22 original commits,” Further, Walters said “Eight or nine of these commits got a degree through Texas.” Brown’s failures began with a failure to

recruit, but “I think Mack Brown made things too nice at Texas for the players and that led to a country-club environment where some players, not all, felt they didn’t have to work all that hard.” Bohls says. Strong’s current performance is what will really make or break his success, however. More important than where Brown failed, Bohls thinks “the program needs to produce a playoff team in the first three or four years if Strong is going to survive” Also, having just finished his last season,

Walter thinks “players are probably a bit apprehensive. Any time things change people tend to be somewhat nervous about the unknown.” As with any new coach, uncertainty remains about his future performance. Walters knows “the standard at Texas is to win a minimum of 10 games a year and be in contention for the national championship.” However, he does “think the coaching change is a good thing, and [that] Strong seems very suited for the job. Kirk Bohls is confident in Strong’s ability to build relationships, saying “I think his players will run through walls for him. I think he had a close relationship with his players at Louisville and preaches tough love and a whole lot of discipline.” However, he points out “the fans won’t be long on patience.” After several mediocre seasons, everyone is hopeful for the new coach to turn out as well as promised. “I guess this transition between coaches is happening in a time where I’m also transitioning from a player to a fan and honestly I just want to see the team have success,” says Walters.

2014 Season Preview

By Daniel DeGrasse

The grass is fresh, and the year is new, and spring football is starting. Football teams around the nation are coming out on the field to show what they’ve got. There will be upsets, blowouts, and overtime games. Here’s your guide to what to expect from the most popular sport in America.

TOP

The teams you should expect at the first-ever College Football Playoff.

1.Florida State

2.Alabama

3.Oregon

4. Ohio State

Florida State’s Heisman winning quarterback, stud running back and multiple NFL-level receivers are expected to perform. Not only is the secondary dominant, but the line is almost entirely seniors.

The Nation’s number two ranked offense is a true powerhouse. Oregon can truly drive, owing to their Heismanworthy quarterback and stellar offensive line. However, questions remain as to if the defense can stop other team’s running games.

Photo by Nikonmadness

Alabama has been a team to watch for years, and 2014 will be no exception. The offensive line is NFLworthy, and the backfield is considered one of the best. This team’s weak point may be their quarterback.

Ohio State has a powerhouse quarterback in Braxton Miller, and likely will be taken far. The defensive line and linebackers are experienced and ready to play. The only potential weak area for the Buckeyes is their rookie offensive line.

Sources: collegefootballplayoff.com, nationalchamps.net

The Beautiful Game

Photo courtesy of Today Online

Repeating Success By Ari Takvorian

The World Cup has been going on for 84 years now, with a total of eight teams winning at least one of the 19 total World Cups that have been played. Each team has had their share of success in the past, but which team has the easiest road to being crowned champion of the World Cup in Brazil?

Brazil Brazil celebrates their win in the 2002 World Cup. Photo by Tânia Rêgo/ABr

Considered the most successful team ever, Brazil has won a record five World Cups (1958, 1962, 1980, 1994, 2002). Led by players like Pelé, Romário and Ronaldo, Brazil looks to add to its unmatched success this year with the help of Neymar in their efforts to win the World Cup in front of their home fans. It will be a difficult test, though, having to defeat Cameroon, Mexico and Croatia. According to the Daily Mail, Brazil has found the right formation and the team has a new sense of confidence heading into June.

Italy Italy poses for their team photo before a game. Photo by Biser Todorov

Photo by Danyele

Italy is making their 18th appearance in the World Cup and is attempting to raise their fifth trophy (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), which would tie leader Brazil in the winningest World Cup team. After winning in 2006, the Blues fell flat in South Africa 2010, finishing in 26th of the 32 participants, MLS Soccer reports. Led by veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and the outspoken striker Mario Balotelli, expectations are high for the Italians. Their group will be difficult to overcome, as Italy will have to go through England, Uruguay and Costa Rica. The team is hopeful and has a new sense of confidence going in, according to BBC Sports, because of their new coach Cesare Prandelli, but they still have much to prove.

Germany

West Germany celebrates their World Cup victory.

The third most successful team in World Cup history is back after a third place finish in back-to-back years and a second place finish in 2002, losing to Brazil. They have won three times (1954, 1974, 1990) and are looking to tie Italy for second on the list. Led by veterans Thomas Müller and Miroslav Klose, Germany will have to go through what Yahoo Sports considers the “group of death” which contains Portugal, Ghana and the United States. If Germany comes out on top, according to SB Nation, they will be one of the favorites to win it all.

Support Team USA June 12July 13 Brazil 2014 on XYZ NETWORK xyzbrazilnetwork.com

Photo coutesy of InclusiveBeechwoodAging

Out

This League

Austin offers opportunity for adults to continue their love

The Austin Thunder and the Austin Athletic Photo by Ari Takvorian

soccer

By Ari Takvorian

illy Triplett and his teammates stood on the sidelines with their arms wrapped around each other’s backs. This was it. A save, and their team would win. A save, and the Caledonians would be crowned the Austin League Cup Champions. As the adrenaline rushed through the Caledonians’ goalkeeper, he dove right and made the save. The Caledonians had won. “We all got to rush onto the field and tackle our goalie when he made the save to win the game,” Triplett said. “We beat our rival.” The Caledonians, like many others, are a team that competes in the Austin Men’s Soccer Association (AMSA). “We are the top amateur soccer league in Texas,” said Matt Prewett, president of AMSA and captain of the Austin Thunder, a team in the Premier division of the league. “The numbers don’t lie…we are a bigger league than Houston despite Austin being significantly smaller.” AMSA is an adult men’s soccer league that lets people that aren’t professionals play competitive soccer. They house 3,200 players and over 100

teams, while Houston has around 90 teams. “I joined AMSA because I was a college student at UT, who just wanted to play soccer for fun,”said Eric Poulter, a captain of FC02, a Division 1 team. “I had played all my life, knew I had more or less missed any shot at going pro, but wanted to play competitively for fun. I joined the current team I am on because they were playing at a high level.” There are over 130 teams that make up AMSA, and all of them are formed in different ways. Some teams are formed between a group of friends that just want to play soccer together. Other teams are formed by holding tryouts and picking the best people to join. “My team formed long before I even came to Austin. I want to say maybe in 2000 or so,” said Triplett, captain of the Caledonians, a Premier level team. “It was just some old friends from high school that started the team.” Teams have been together for multiple years with the same players and maybe some new ones. This allows for the players to form stronger relationships with each other on and off the field.

“A lot of the guys on my team look at me as almost their coach while others have simply either become closer friends, or became friends with me if they weren’t before,” Poulter said. “Soccer has a way of bringing people together who might not hang out with each other outside of the team.” The relationships between the players and the competitiveness has allowed for the players to become better. “The thing that surprised me most about AMSA when I joined was the level of play. I wasn’t expecting it to be very competitive, but I was very wrong,” Triplett said. “There is a ton of talent in Austin and it just continues to get better.” AMSA was created in January of 1973 by a group of friends that wanted to play soccer. They started playing games on Sundays at Zilker Park, and then wanted to add

some new teams. After some work and recruitment, the first few teams were formed. Ever since then, more and more teams have been added, creating the AMSA that is known today. “We are large enough to be a full-time business, and we function as one,” Prewett said. “We have over 3000 players and 135 teams.” A player more in on the way that the club is run is Prewett, who is wrapping up his final term as president of AMSA. “I worked my way

The Austin Athletic Club Premier prepare for their game. Photo by Ari Takvorian

Premier warm up before their game.

up from senior commissioner to vice president to president. It was a natural progression,” Prewett said. “I agreed to be president in order to continue to serve our soccer community in Austin and try to help produce the best adult amateur soccer experience for our membership as I can.” As president of AMSA, Prewett is constantly on the job. His job is to maintain order and keep the organization running smoothly. “I agreed to be president in order to con-

tinue to serve our soccer community in Austin and try to help produce the best adult amateur soccer experience for our membership as I can. I dedicate about 4-5 hours a week working on something related to AMSA,” Prewett said. “I am the CEO of our organization. I am responsible for everything that happens with our organization, and I try to be aware and involved with all aspects, albeit I need to delegate much of the administrative burden to our volunteers and league admin, Jenni Jones.”

The Austin Thunder and Austin Athletic Club Premier play their game. Photo by Ari Takvorian

After joining the club for the first time, the players may be surprised at what they see. Some were surprised at some things and some where surprised at others. “The thing that surprised me the most about the league and the club were how athletic a lot of the players were,” Poulter said. “Even guys who didn’t look like they could jog half a mile were out there sprinting and making runs. Everyone kept in shape, and everyone knew what they were doing. It’s just awesome to see so many adults who are just playing for fun able to run out and play high level sports.” AMSA is thought of very highly by the players and by the executive committee. “AMSA offers a great environment for players to grow and have fun, both on and off the pitch,” Triplett said. “It can also be very competitive if you join the higher divisions.” The club has offered many very fun experiences for the participants. Some won championships in close games, while some moved up

The Austin Thunder warms up before their game. Photo by Ari Takvorian

divisions. “I’d have to say my favorite moment on this team was when we won our first game after I took over as captain,” Poulter said. “I was left with a team that had seen most of it’s best players quit the year before, without any way to get more players short notice, so the first season I had in charge, we didn’t do very well. I think we won one game. We were playing in the Premier division. The first game we won, however, it was a very hard fought match, where we came out just barely winning 4-3 after being down 1-3.” With the high number of players and clubs, and the highly rated reviews, AMSA has proved that it is an elite club worth joining. “The organization is very well organized, stream-lined organization with lots of volunteer participation and consistency in our applications of our rules, by-laws and policies,” said Prewett. “If you are looking to play in an organized adult soccer league, we are the best organized, with the best fields and facilities, in the Central Texas area.”

World Cup Predictions By Ari Takvorian

Group A Brazil Mexico Cameroon Croatia

GP 3 3 3 3

W 3 1 1 0

GP 3 3 3 3

Spain Chile Spain Australia Australia Netherlands

Group C Colombia Greece Ivory Coast Japan

GP 3 3 3 3

Colombia Ivory Coast Colombia Japan Japan Greece

L 0 1 1 3

3 2 2 2 0 0

Brazil Mexico Brazil Cameroon Cameroon Croatia

Group B Spain Netherlands Chile Australia

D 0 1 1 0

W 3 2 0 0

D 0 0 1 1

2 1 3 0 0 3

0 2 1 1 1 2

L 0 1 2 2 -

W 2 2 1 0

L 0 1 1 3 -

GA 1 4 4 7

GD 5 1 0 -6

Points 9 4 4 0

GD 7 3 -5 -5

Points 9 6 1 1

GD 4 2 0 -6

Points 7 6 4 0

Croatia Cameroon Mexico Croatia Brazil Mexico

GF 8 6 2 1 1 1 0 2 3 1

D 1 0 1 0 2 2 2 0 0 2

GF 6 5 4 1

GA 1 3 7 6 Netherlands Australia Chile Netherlands Spain Chile

GF 7 5 5 1 1 1 2 2 3 1

GA 3 3 5 7 Greece Japan Ivory Coast Greece Colombia Ivory Coast

Group D England Uruguay Italy Costa Rica

GP 3 3 3 3

W 3 2 1 0 3 2 1 2 1 0

Uruguay England Uruguay Italy Italy Costa Rica

Group E France Switzerland Ecuador Honduras

GP 3 3 3 3

W 3 1 0 0

GP 3 3 3 3 Argentina Iran Argentina Nigeria Nigeria

Bosnia

L 0 1 2 3 -

D 0 1 2 1 1 2 1 0 1 1

Switzerland France Switzerland Honduras Honduras Ecuador

Group F Argentina Bosnia Nigeria Iran

D 0 0 0 0

W 3 1 1 0 2 0 3 1 1 1

0 1 2 0 3 3

L 0 1 1 2 -

D 0 1 0 1

GF 7 4 2 2 1 1 2 0 2 3

L 0 1 2 2 -

GF 7 7 4 0

GF 7 4 3 1 1 1 0 2 2 1

GA 2 3 5 8

GD 5 4 -1 -8

Points 9 6 3 0

GD 4 0 -2 -2

Points 9 4 2 1

GD 5 0 -1 -4

Points 9 4 3 1

Costa Rica Italy England Costa Rica Uruguay England

GA 3 4 4 4 Ecuador Honduras France Ecuador Switzerland France

GA 2 4 4 5 Bosnia Nigeria Iran

Bosnia Argentina Iran

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union

Group H Germany Portugal USA Ghana

GP 3 3 3 3 Germany Ghana Germany USA USA Portugal

Round of 16

Brazil

D 0 0 0 0 3 1 3 1 1 2

L 0 1 2 3 -

Quarterfinals

Brazil

Colombia 1

France

Brazil

July 8th 3:00 PM Belo Horizonte

Brazil

1 Germany

July 4th 11:00 AM Rio de Janeiro

4 Germany

June 30th 3:00 PM Porto Alegre

Final July 13th 2:00 PM Rio de Janeiro Brazil 2 - 1 Spain Champions Brazil

France

June 30th 11:00 AM Brasilia

Russia

Portugal USA Ghana Portugal Germany Ghana

Points 9 6 3 0

Uruguay

Germany

1 2 0 2 3 1

GD 7 0 -2 -5

June 28th 3:00 PM Rio de Janeiro

Bosnia and Herz.

GA 2 5 6 7

Semifinals

July 4th 3:00 PM Fortaleza

Colombia

GF 9 5 4 2

June 28th 11:00 AM Bel Horizonte

Netherlands

W 3 2 1 0

Group H Belgium Russia South Korea Algeria

GP 3 3 3 3

W 3 1 1 0

Belgium Russia Belgium South Korea South Korea Algeria

D 0 1 1 0 3 1 2 2 1 0

L 0 1 1 3 -

0 1 1 1 3 1

Semifinals Third Place July 12th 3:00 PM Brasilia Germany 3 - 2 Portugal Third Place Germany 1

GA 2 3 5 6

GD 6 0 -1 -5

Round of 16

2 Spain

Points 9 4 4 0

Algeria South Korea Russia Algeria Belgium Russia

Quarterfinals

Spain June 29th 11:00 AM Fortaleza

Mexico

England

July 5th 3:00 PM Salvador

Spain

GF 8 3 4 1

England

July 9th 3:00 PM Sao Paulo

0 Portugal

June 29th 3:00 PM Recife

Greece

Argentina

July 1st 11:00 AM Sao Paulo

Switzerland

Belgium

July 5th 11:00 Am Brasilia

Portugal

July 1st 3:00 PM Salvador

Portugal

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union

Defend Until the End

Photo by Steve Jurvetson

The King

vs.

The Air By: Shiv Mulgaonker

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has been the house for the world’s best basketball players for a little over 48 years now. Six-time NBA champion and fourteen time NBA all-star, Michael Jordan tops them all and is referred to as the best basketball player to have ever lived. Current NBA superstar and future hall of fame inductee, Lebron James is paving the way to be considered as the world’s most athletic superstar, and perhaps even better a player than Jordan himself. Who really is better, “The Air” or “The King”?

#6 Lebron- 250 lbs, 6 feet 8 inches, forward

Championships James 2x NBA champion: 2012, 2013

Draft Picks

James 1st pick Cavaliers (2003)

NBA First Teams

James- 7 All-NBA 1st Team

2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2005-06

MVPs and All Stars

4 time MVP, 10 time All-Star

#23 Michael- 6 feet 6 inches, 215 lbs. shooting guard

Jordan 6x NBA champion (91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98)

Jordan 3rd pick Bulls (1984)

Michael- 10 All-NBA 1st Team

1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98

5 time MVP, 14 time All-Star Photos by Rico Shen, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Keith Allison and Steve Lipofsky

Air Ball

The Amateur Athletic Union and it’s development on youth basketball By Shiv Mulgaonker

en Coffman looked up at the clock and pounded the ball on the floor. He guided his team up at the top of the key and then drove in for the win. Kentucky Wesleyan had made it again to another Final Four. Ten years later, Coffman thought to himself who he grew up playing for and what had lead him to this point. He led his team to their positions and,with seconds left this time, they all turned to him on the sidelines, and he began to take command. As the time fell off, the clock the Kentucky Warriors were crowned national teen champions. They had done it.

Kids work on ball handling.

Photo Courtesy of CAL Sports Academy

“The team comradery, all the talent and friendship on the team is what got us here… Two Final Fours and now being number 1 in the nation,” Coffman said. Coffman, like many others, is a commanding member in development of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball, a sports organization that helps youth players develop into elite basketball players. “ We would like to become an international organization and become an international all-around development organization for teens,” Coffman said. “We want the best out of our players.” AAU basketball is

the biggest youth organization of select basketball in the country and works with teens to develop them into elite basketball players that can eventually succeed at the college and professional level. Coaches like Coffman work with Division 1 elite teams that compete for the national championship. Coffman says that “Hard work, dedication, and sacrifice” are the keys to success and is what the AAU teaches to help their players grow on and off the court. Jared Prickett, the chairman of AAU boys basketball in Kentucky, offers more insight and says, “A lot of people think AAU basketball to be elite basketball but we have all divisions. People of all ages and skill can come out and participate and enjoy themselves, and enjoy AAU sports and have a great time with it.” Prickett can vouch for the program. “When I was 12 I played AAU basketball and I ended up playing in the Nationals in Florida, and I ended up getting most outstanding player in AAU basketball,” he said. “I was state player of the year in West Virginia. I lost in the championship, but I was eventually recruited to Kentucky, went to three final fours, won a championship, lost a championship and afterwards, I played pro basketball in Europe and South America.” Prickett says that his successes in his basket-

ball careers came from his experience with the AAU program. “When you’re playing in a national AAU tournament, you’re seeing the best talent in the nation. When I showed up, and I opened my eyes and I saw players that were as good or if not better than me. It made me better. It was high elite basketball, the basketball I was playing in, playing against elite talent. And that helped me prepare to go into big time college games and stuff of that nature,” Prickett said. With AAU in all fifty states, having many divisions that are split up into the different geographic areas they compete in, there are many ways for players and people to get involved. “You can be involved in it by coaching, you can be involved as a player, you can be involved as a team mom, you can come out here at the KVA and work for us as a book and clock keeper, there are numerous ways to get involved in the AAU world.” As elite and recreational players all compete and continue to get involved with the AAU, coaches like Coffman value their positions of coaching such talent and youth. “I grew up as a son of a champion and now working with this youth organization for a little over four years now and knowing what basketball meant and did for me, it’s

great giving that back and teaching the youth about that now,” Coffman said. Being a college star and now working with the AAU Kentucky Warrior organization, Coffman specializes in helping high school basketball players improve their basketball skills while playing the role as a mentor off the court as well. “The AAU and the Warriors organization knows that our players are students and family members as well, and we help them in all aspects,” Coffman says. “Always put school first, thats what matters and that’s what will carry you in life. We teach our players the team chemistry and the key to a good team. When you step on that court they’re your best friends and any personal plans go away. You’re not gonna be pissed at each other, and you really need to be one. I say it all the time… you’ve got five fingers and when you put one finger, one finger individually you can’t do anything, but when the five fingers together you get a fist, and you’re gonna be powerful and strong, don’t play like five fingers, play like one fist.” Coffman and coaches around the AAU uses their playing knowledge to coach specific positions. Coffman, a little over 6’10”, specializes is bigs and their shooting skills. “In basketball you want to go against contact but still be able to finish strong at the rim. There are a lot of kids that want to fade away or fall away from contact and avoid

contact, and that’s true, there’s no need to be stressed or scared all the time, but you need to finish strong because if you finish strong you’ll get a foul called, if you don’t finish strong you won’t get a foul called, you’ll probably just get a missed layup or shot. Being strong, we talk about it all the time, and you’ve gotto face against, but through the contact at the same time, expect contact and welcome contact,” Coffman said. Coffman tells his players the key to success and says,” It’s always solid work and dedication at practice, that’s what makes star players all the time. Its one of the key elements you can’t just show up and hit the gym on game day and expect to do something good, you’ve got to work seven days a week...that’s what I stress all the time… hard work, hard work, hard work ...and dedication at practice!” Prickett hopes the AAU program continues to grow and develops as a

Ben Coffman (2nd from left) poses with his Divison 1 8th grade basketball team after coaching them to a tournament championship. Photo Courtesy of the Kentucky Warriors

influence to all basketball players. As the AAU continues to reach it’s goal, coaches, officials and players can all agree that the AAU family offers a way for youth with all different backgrounds to relate and make friends with eachother. As players continue to get better and compete in the AAU, they are able to put all the kids together and allow the players to come as close as they can to each other. Their family consists of trust,

dedication, and love that is built on and off the court, they are always there for eachother. “We’re trying to bring AAU basketball each year to create a great product, and continue to get better and better. Since I’ve taken over we are making the program grow each and every year. We recruit teams, we recruit players, and we’re just trying to create a great product where people can come out and have a great time,” Prickett said.

The Spartans, a 10th grade AAU team, compete in the Easter Classic AAU Divison one basketball tournament against the SMAC. Photo courtesy of The Spartans AAU Development Program

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“Life is like riding a bicycle”Albert Einstein

Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0

Beyond A Guide

to the

Disciplines

the and

Tactics

Pavement

Cycling

By Varun Sudunagunta

here’s a lot more to riding a bike than pedaling. Accelerating and decelerating. Getting off the bike and getting back on. Learning the strengths and weakness of both yourself and your opponents. Coming up with strategies to out race everybody. “Cycling is a stress reliever and there’s evidence that it keeps you physically, mentally, and psychologically strong,” Andy Austin, cyclist and top ten finisher of the King of Jester road race said. “And it’s social too.” Cycling is a wide branching sport that has different disciplines, the

rider choosing which discipline he fits best to. One of the many disciplines that cycling has is staged road racing. “There are stages each day where you’re racing from Point A to Point B,” Andy Austin, a U.S. Magistrate Judge said. Road racing, in and of itself contains strategy that is crucial to winning a race. “On a road race, you get a draft by riding in groups,” Austin said. “It takes 30-40 percent less energy because you’re not having all that wind resistance.” However, road racing isn’t just individual, it’s a team event as well.

Freshman at Fort Lewis University and LASA Alumnus, Mason Shea climbs up a hill during the ProXCT’s Round Two in Fontana, Calif. on April 14, 2011. Photo Courtesy of Mason Shea

“When you ride in a group, the rider in the front is doing the most work, since they have to put out more energy to compensate for the wind resistance and then eventually the rider in the front goes to the back of the pack to rest,” Austin said. Drafting takes less energy, which makes it more efficient. However, there are other benefits as well. “Drafting allows the lead rider to rest and then be able to catch up much easier to the cyclists in the lead because they will have rested in the back,” Austin said. Tactics of this sort are crucial in road racing. However, in cyclo-cross, another discipline of cycling these tactics aren’t very helpful. “Cyclo-cross is a winter race discipline that is a cross between road racing and cross-country,” Mason Shea said, a freshman at Fort Lewis University and LASA alumnus. Although cyclocross may seem shallow. It is anything but shallow. “The race starts with a mass start and what makes cyclo-cross different is that there are obstacles on the course,” Shea said. The obstacles make cyclo-cross all the more difficult and demanding, which give cyclo-cross an unique rhythm.

“ You decelerate, then accelerate to get back to pace, and then the course demand you to quickly get off and then accelerate again. You have to do this whenever there are twists and turns within the course,” Austin said As a result of the unique rhythm of cyclo-cross, cyclo-cross is extremely demanding physically and mentally. “Since you’re climbing up and down, it pushes you to your threshold,” Austin said. “You’re going to have to be able to maintain that energy output for pretty much the entire 45 minutes.” Since cyclo-cross is so demanding the tactics are going to be very different. “Cyclo-cross is more of an individual discipline. There’s not enough space to form groups and be able to draft to reap the benefits. The confined space of cyclocross makes tactics all the more crucial.” Austin said. The way cyclocross races start contributes to the unique tactics. “They call it the ‘hole shot’,” Austin said, “because you start out with a mass start and there’s a big rush to get out to the front.” The narrow trails of cyclo-cross give rise to unique times to attack and back down. “There are only a

Mason Shea climbs over a barricade with his bike during the State Cyclo-cross race in Dallas, Texas on December 19, 2010. Photo Courtesy of Mason Shea

few places when you will want to burst; the beginning and the finish,” Austin said. The third discipline, mountain biking, contains its own strategy. “Mountain biking is a discipline of biking that involves climbing up and down hills,” Fort Lewis’s mountain biking coach Elke Brutsaert said. Mountain biking may seem shallow from first glance, however, it is anything but shallow. “Within mountain biking, there are many disciplines,” Brutsaert said. “You can divide mountain biking into two groups; gravity and endurance. Within gravity, there is downhill biking, which involves no climbing. Slalom is another sub-discipline of mountain biking. Within endurance there is cross country and short track.” Mountain biking contains its own strategy depending on the subdiscipline. “Gravity downhill, involves no climbing and its important to know

where to sit,” Brutsaert said. “ It takes years for the rider to learn were the center of gravity is on their bike. The center of gravity is where the rider should sit. We call it the ‘sweet spot’.” Gravity downhill is a discipline that involves knowing your equipment. “This discipline, is dependent on the quality of the equipment. To have a decent bike, you must have at least 9 inches of suspension in the front and back,” Brutsaert said. Although, downhill cycling seems easy to compete in, it actually is quite difficult. “Knowing when to increase your pedaling cadence takes many years and depends on the terrain,” Brutsaert said. “Sometimes when the hill is too steep, you have to dismount and carry your bike up the hill. And sometimes this is intentionally in the course. Pedaling up the hill is the most efficient way. However, if more energy will be used to pedal the hill

rather than hike up it then you want to hike up,” Within the endurance category is cross country and short track. “Cross-country is a discipline that emphasizes endurance over technical powers, much like road racing, except it is on varying terrain,” Shea said. The varying terrain makes cross-country difficult and demanding like all mountain biking disciplines. “Short track is another discipline with a shorter course and is typically under a mile in distance,” Brutsaert said. This makes short track more competitive due to the short distance, thus increasing the importance of tactics. “Like other disciplines of mountain biking, short track requires you to know where your center of gravity is,” Brutsaert said. The final discipline, track cycling, contains its own unique tactics that are crucial for a good race. “Track cycling

involves racing on a velodrome, which is an indoor cycling stadium,” Brutsaert said. “Within track cycling there are specific events. There are the sprints, middle distance, team and individual events.” The many events of track cycling allow for unique tactics to each of the events within track cycling and the rider. “The most important tactic is to know your limits and your opponents tendencies because it allows you to know when to attack and when to back off,” Brutsaert said. Cycling is such a diverse sport that caters to the individual needs of the rider and can help the rider pursue their dreams. “Through my interest in cycling, I was able to receive a scholarship from the top collegiate cycling school in the nation,” Shea said.

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Taking

the

Long Way

By Varun Sudunagunta

Organized bicycle racing has been held in competition for 146 years now. Each race has its own unique elements which make the race difficult in their own way, and these races have the prestigious titles of being among the longest road bicycle races in the world.

3. Tour

2. Race Across America The Race Across America is a transcontinental event and is among the best-known and longest annual endurance events in the world. This race has no stages and in principle is a non stop event from start to finish. The race is approximately 4,800 km and begins at the West Coast and ends in the East Coast.

1. Vuelta Sudamericana The Vuelta Sudamericana is a race that is held every two or three years. The most recent version was in 2013. This race takes four months and goes through jungles, arid deserts and over mountain passes in the Andes. Cyclists ride through much of South America while viewing some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. The Vuelta Sudamericana in 2013 was 12,070 km long.

France

The Tour de France is an annual multiple stage bicycle race that is primarily held in France. This race was first organized to increase paper sales for the magazine Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Auto. The race typically has at least two time trials and passes through the Pyrenees and the Alps. The Tour de France will begin on July 5 in Harrogate and will end on July 27 in Paris. The 2014 Tour de France is projected to be 3656 km long.

4. Giro d’Italia The Giro d’Italia is an annual staged bicycle race held in Italy. The race involves at least two time trials and goes through the Alps and the Dolomites. The 2014 Giro d’Italia begins May 9 in Belfast and ends on June 1 in Trieste.

5. Vuelta

España

The Vuelta a Espana is an annual staged race that is held in Spain. Along with the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta a Espana is one of the Grand Tours. The race begins on Aug. 23 in Jerez de la Frontera and ends on Sept. 14 in Santiago de Compostela. The projected length for the Vuelta is 3182.5 km.

Sources: cyclingnews.com, velonews.com, examiner.com, wikipedia.org, psdgrapics.com

Photo by Christopher Johnson