9 minute read
COLLEGE SIGNING DAY
Technology transforms training
Machines, gadgets, apps improve performance
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jacob ROBINSON
Sam Shackelford, senior, walks into a training facility and prepares to use all sorts of different machines to track speed, bat path, ball spin and more.
Shackelford said this technology has changed the way he trains for baseball.
One machine tracks the distances and direction he hits and records that information on a screen.
“Because when you’re in the cages, you obviously can’t see how far the ball goes,” Shackelford said.
Justin Rosen, director of the St. Louis Pirates baseball organization, said he has seen technology change as he has been training players since 2005.
Proteus, for example, is different from other technologies as the machine shows athletes specific muscles to
Rick Strickland and Justin Rosen teach a lesson on how to use the Proteus machine. This technology informs athletes on what
muscles to improve on. Photograph by Jacob Robinson
improve on, and not only stats, Rosen said.
“It uses 3-D resistance, so you’re gonna have resistance forwards, backwards, up, down, left and right,” Rosen said. “Then it will actually print out a report or email you a report telling you you’re weak on your left side or right side.”
Rosen said there’s only about 150 of these machines in the nation and they have had one in their Pirates facility for about two months and have already seen success with their athletes.
This technology, he said, is something that will help elevate the way sports are trained.
Rapsodo or Blast Motion are additional devices that help show a player the results they are getting analytically from their training, Rosen said.
“Everybody is gauged by numbers right now,” Rosen said. “Everybody’s analytically driven.”
These technologies help show results, but Rosen said it’s easy to manipulate those numbers but still hit with the wrong form. That’s why the Proteus is necessary because it corrects the form, and unlike Rapsodo and Blast Motion, Proteus can be used for any sport training.
Rick Strickland, St. Louis Pirates coach, said when his major league club asked him what to get, he said Proteus and the program, S2 Cognition because they tell players what they need to know and work on, but players also have to know what they’re looking for within them.
“Technology is wonderful, but it’s not the teacher,” Strickland said. “Technology is like an accountant.”
Signing day recognizes athletes continuing sports in college
annie ALCORN
When Gavin Marsh, senior, was growing up playing a variety of sports, he always thought he would play basketball or baseball at the collegiate level.
“My end goal was to always play college sports,” Marsh said. “But, it wasn’t until last year that I realized it was going to be college football.”
Marsh didn’t start playing football until eighth grade, but quickly found a love for the sport. He has been on the football team since his freshman year, and he started getting noticed by college recruiters during his junior season.
Schools from around the country recruited Marsh, and after weighing all his options, he chose the University of Missouri (Mizzou) for football.
Marsh is a preferred walk-on for Mizzou, meaning he will play on the team but will not receive scholarships.
Marsh was offered financial scholarships to play at smaller schools like Eastern Illinois University and Valparaiso University, but he said he would rather play for a large, Division I football program as a preferred walk-on.
“Mizzou is the best opportunity for me,” Marsh said. “I really feel like I can excel with their football program.”
Marsh said he knows a lot of people going to Mizzou and it is close to home, both driving factors in his decision.
Activities Director Adam Starling said Signing Day each fall is special because it provides an opportunity to celebrate the talents of student athletes.
“The coaches and staff put in a lot of time working with Marquette students,” Starling said. “To see them
Students Signing
• Audrey Bast, University of
Tennessee, Rowing • Jessica Dodd, Eastern Kentucky
University, Soccer • Jack Holubowski, University of
Missouri, Baseball • Nick Lee, University of San Diego,
Rowing • Warner Lenahan, Truman State,
Baseball • Lauren McGauley, DePauw
University, Field Hockey • Morgan Meador, University of
Missouri, Soccer • Ava Quallen, Clemson University,
Rowing • Anna Sainato, Lewis University,
Soccer • Audra Yoder, Rockhurst
University, Lacrosse Information from the Activities Office
accomplish great things and be able to continue their playing career after they leave Marquette always makes us proud.”
Lauren McGauley, senior, chose between more than 10 schools to play field hockey at and finally verbally committed to DePauw in October.
“I picked DePauw because I really like the feel of the team, and I could see myself on the campus,” McGauley said. “And, they also “I realized I’m not have the major I want, so I am confident this is the best choice for ready to stop playing anytime soon,” me.” Like Marsh, McGauley said she didn’t realize she wanted Lauren McGauley, senior to play college field hockey until recently even though she started playing in eighth grade.
“I realized I’m not ready to stop playing anytime soon,” McGauley said.
Madison Carney, senior, is committed to play softball for Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). She was out of town on the day of the original signing day, so Carney and her family held their own signing day in Principal Dr. Steve Hankins’ office. “I actually enjoyed having my own,” Carney said. Carney said she liked the more intimate feeling of her signing day. Carney’s parents, personal trainer, club coach, high school coach and best friends were there to celebrate her. “The people who came are the ones who have supported me the most in this process,” Carney said. Carney verbally committed in March of 2022, and she said picking SEMO was not a hard decision for her. She loves the coaching staff, and she got a good feeling while visiting and walking around the campus. “It feels like a place that I can really thrive at,” Carney said. “I’m excited to embark on this new journey of becoming a college athlete.”
Chloe Kang, senior, dribbles the ball down the field. While Kang does not play competitive soccer, she enjoys watching the South Korean national team play. “It’s just great seeing Korea represented as a whole on the world stage,” Kang said. Photograph by Shyam Punnachalil
World Cup evokes pride
shyam PUNNACHALIL
Having lived in Brazil for five years, Lucas Tourinho, sophomore, has always enjoyed the huge soccer presence in the country.
“For Brazilians, soccer is in our genes. In Brazil, you literally don’t go to school. Whenever your country plays, you stay at home, including teachers and faculty,” Tourinho said. “That is how big the World Cup is to us Brazilians.”
The World Cup started on Sunday, Nov. 20 and ends on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Tourinho supports Brazil in the World Cup because of the country’s historical success in soccer.
“Brazil stands out because we’ve won five World Cups, almost winning three in a row,” Tourinho said. “We’re the only country to actually keep the trophy from the tournament.”
Nolan Henry, senior, supports the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) because of his love for American soccer and having lived in the U.S. for all of his life.
“I just love seeing them play and represent the country,” Henry said. “The new and younger team that we have this year have competed really well against big teams and it’s great to see.” With Americans being polarized on many political issues as of recent, Henry said the U.S. participating in the World Cup brings people together.
“It just pushes the bad stuff aside and brings us together with soccer,” Henry said.
Chloe Kang, senior, is from South Korea and is proud to see the South Korean national team perform.
“I do hold lots of value from my culture, and it’s just great to see the South Korea team represent us on the world stage as a whole,” Kang said. “I think nationalism in this sense increases the pride and love for your own country. It brings people together just to play a simple game of soccer”
Kang is appreciative of South Korea’s progress and effort put into this year’s World Cup.
“Even if we didn’t win the World Cup, it was just really great to see us be happy and share happy moments with each other,” Kang said. “The fact that so many people went to Qatar to support South Korea just meant so much to me.”
NATIONALISM
Former MHS social studies teacher and soccer player Chris Kenny said that the World Cup gives people a greater connection to their nation.
“You have star players who are typically playing for their clubs, but the World Cup is different in the sense that they are now playing for their country. It makes people feel spiritually connected to their country as a result,” Kenny said.
Kenny notes that there nationalism can reach really high and bad levels, but sporting bodies like Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) attempt to prevent those issues from getting out of hand.
“FIFA does try to control problems with nationalism with fans and players causing issues. They do issue sanctions to their respective federation and punish the troublemakers,” Kenny said.
As a former soccer player for the St. Louis Ambush and St. Louis Steamers, Kenny felt honored and responsible to represent St. Louisans well during his professional career, like the players participating in the World Cup.
“The teams I played for had mostly St. Louis players, and I always felt a certain pride and responsibility of how I played, prepared and was the best teammate I can be,” Kenny said.
Matthew Nanes, political science professor at Saint Louis University, said nationalism generally is a benefit in the World Cup.
“It’s interesting to me that every four years in the U.S., everyone becomes a soccer fan because of the World Cup, and with that people have a shared sense of identity,” Nanes said.
Nanes said the World Cup bridges gaps between countries across the globe.
“Hosting the games in a place where fans are less familiar with is generally a positive thing,” Nanes said. “The interaction, transparency and media coverage allows visitors to understand more about the host country.”
How Do You Celebrate The World Cup?
Chloe Kang senior
