Issue 6 -- Arpil 12, 2019

Page 1

Volume 109, Issue 6

Incoming changes come for football

LT looks to improve football team, fills open coach position by Hayden Claesson and Grace DeKoker @_wizardofsoz_ and @grace_dekoker

With several critical seniors leaving the LT football team and an open head coach position, LT is looking to start a new chapter for Lions football. The first step was to begin searching for an individual to fill the coaching position, Athletic Director John Grundke said. On March 18, the board of education announced that the varsity football head coaching job will be filled in by former Hinsdale Central High School varsity coach Dan Hartman. The vote to appoint him the position was unanimous. Hartman has experienced much success as LT’s crosstown rival, bringing the Red Devils to the IHSA class 8A playoffs in all five of the years he was the head coach at Central. “I think he’ll continue on with what we’ve done in the past. His biggest goal is to put kids in a situation where they can be successful,”

John Grundke addresses players and parents about the transition to the new coaching staff for next year (Valdes/LION).

Grundke said. “He wants them in a situation where they know what to do and they’ve done it before and that makes them successful. That’s true whether its offense, defense, specialty- he wants them to play fast and play aggressively.” After Kurt Weinburg stepped down after 10 seasons of coaching the program, the coaching job at LT was highly sought after, with over 50 applicants applying for the job, with candidates ranging from small college coaches to assistant coaches from other high schools, Grundke said. Many coaches wanted to the opportunity of teaching and coaching at LT job because of the school’s size, as well as the tradition of athletic excellence LT athletes have established over the past decade. Eventually, the LT athletic department narrowed it down to 12 candidates, then six, and after three rounds of interviews, background checks, and phone calls to past employers, Hartman was named head coach. He was

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On Tuesday, LT students and community members had the chance to meet the new LT football coach, Dan Hartman (Sorice/LION).

Recent accident raises awareness Loss of DGN student underscores the dangers, risks of driving by Lars Lonnroth @larslonnroth

Downers Grove North junior Elizabeth Dunlap was just outside her school Feb. 20 when a car came careening through a red light and hit her while she was crossing the street. The incident sent her to the hospital for days with what her family called “unrecoverable injuries.” The death of Dunlap, a talented 17-year-old volleyball player, sent the Downers Grove community into mourning. Dunlap was a member of the DGN volleyball team that played in the state tournament last year—for the first time in 30 years—according to My Suburban Life. She was also a member of a local travel team, which was where a number of LT students became her friends. “My heart is heavy for her family,” NC Associate Principal Kevin Brown said. “It is an awful, awful thing, and we all pray that nothing [like this] ever happens to our students. But, I understand accidents happen—they do—so that is why we always remind our students to be safe.” While Dunlap’s death is a tragic case of a person dying too young, according to data from the Center for Disease Control, almost 5,400 pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles in 2015—which the CDC notes is equivalent to one pedestrian death every two hours. Additionally, that same year, the CDC reported that 129,000 pedestrians were treated for “non-fatal crash-related injuries.” That danger underscores the importance for both pedestrians and drivers to be aware of their surroundings, Assistant Principal Kris Costopoulos said. “[A car is] a 2,000 pound weapon,” Costopoulos said. “You’ve got to be careful where you’re going—you have to look at all times. As pedestrians and as bicyclists, we have our own responsibility to be alert as well, but when the two meet, the car’s going to win every time.” While LT has had no fatal vehicle-on-pedestrians ac-

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David Kopp ‘20 is recognized by Chicago Blackhawks Hockey team Blind hockey team member receives Youth Player of the Month award

by Harper Hill @harps42

As the Chicago Blackhawks players were preparing to take the ice on Feb. 22 to play the Colorado Avalanche, David Kopp ‘20 entered the United Center Ice Rink and was presented with the Chicago Blackhawks Youth Player of the Month Award. “It was a real honor,” Kopp said. “It was really cool to go out on the ice at the United Center and be honored in front of all those people and receive the plaque.” This award is given out to youth hockey players in the area who have greatly impacted the hockey community. Kopp was nominated for this award by his paraeducator Meg Keeve. Keeve had the opportunity to watch him play with his Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey team several times and knew he was a great contender for the award. “David is a competitor, which is one of the reasons why I nominated him,” Keeve said. “Of all the kids I’ve known at LT, he was just so deserving of this. All you need to do is talk to David to know he is very deserving of this award. He knows what he wants and he doesn’t do anything 99 percent; he always goes 100 percent.” In addition to receiving the plaque, David was invited back to the United Center on March 21 with the other Youth Player of the Month award winners, as well as Volunteer and Coach of the Month winners, to tour the locker rooms and watch the players skate on the ice. “The locker room was really cool,” Kopp said. “[Touring the room] is something that you want to do but don’t think you’re ever going to get to do it.” Kopp has been playing hockey for about three and a half years, ever since the Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey team originally started. He has always had a love for hockey and sports in general, but as a visually impaired athlete, he faces some challenges. Kopp was born without his irises, a condition known as aniridia. His eyes are always dilated; he cannot control how much light goes in and out his eyes. Kopp’s acuity is

North Campus

20/800. He also has glaucoma, which is a condition that results from increased pressure in the eyes. “It’s made me stronger as a person,” Kopp said. “I always try and keep a positive outlook on things. You have to struggle with something in order to grow sometimes. I’m going to get through it and I know that I can do it.” The Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey team was created with the goal of allowing those with visual impairments the opportunity to play hockey, Kopp said. The hockey puck is made out of metal and twice as big as standard size, allowing for the athletes to spot it more easily. Inside the puck is balbarings, so as it travels away, the players are able to identify its location by listening. “In blind hockey, you do have to communicate,” Kopp said. “We’re always yelling to each other [about] where the puck is and where each other are.” In addition to the differences in the hockey puck, the goal is shorter to discourage lifting the puck, a minimum of one pass is required after crossing into the offensive zone and all goalies must be totally blind to ensure even teams. Teams are also regulated to create an equal playing field by grouping the visually impaired players into classes based on levels of impairment. B1 players are either completely blind or have very little vision. B2 is a moderate level of vision–which is were Kopp falls–and B3 players have the most vision. Only a certain number of players from each class are allowed on the ice at once. Kopp’s team practices once every weekend at Center Ice in Glen Ellyn. The team also participates in two annual tournaments. In October, there is the Blind Hockey Summit, and in March there is the Blind Hockey Festival in which all the disciplines of disabled hockey get together for individual tournaments. “I really think it’s been great to meet other people in the visually impaired community,” Kopp said. “I’ve been able to make friends and it’s really fun to go out there and play with them. [The games are] exhilarating really; I love playing [hockey]. We don’t get the opportunity to play games very often, so when we do get to, it’s something really special.”

100 S. Brainard Ave. LaGrange, Ill. 60525 South Campus

Friday, April 12, 2019

PH

aper ighlights

Look here for some quick reads on this issue’s features. Page 2: Canvas cheating leads to many reevaluations. Read all about it on Page 2. Page 3: LT has the best fan section around. Check out the how far our Weirdos have come on Page 3. Page 5: People of LT yet again. Page 5 is the place to be. Page 6: Prom, prom and more prom on Page 6. Page 7: We’re seeing double this issue! See what twins are featured in the grid on Page 7. Page 8: Climate change raises many different questions and concerns. Turn to Page 8 to see what some of our staff members have to say. Page 9: What are your thoughts on academic integrity? See what our staff thinks on Page 9. Page 10: Flip to Page 10 for a personal column on DGN student Elizabeth Dunlap. Page 11: Track star featured as AOTM on Page 11. Page 12: Check out Page 12 for features on some dedicated student two sport athletes. Page 13:

Page 14-15: Read all about Gen Z on Page 14-15. Page 16: New deli in LaGrange sparks great reviews. Read what a staff member thought about it on Page 16. Page 17:

Page 18-19: Turn to 18-19 for the official rankings of Girls Church League teams. David Kopp ‘20 is awarded the Youth Player of the Month plaque at the United Center on Feb. 22 (Keeve).

Page 20: The ultimate fans of Church League hype up their girls on Page 20.

4900 Willow Springs Rd. Western Springs, Ill. 60558


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