11.14.14

crier

munster high school

vol 49/issue 6 Nov. 14, 2014 MHScrier.com

8808 Columbia Ave. Munster, IN 46321

Saturday 32/25

Sunday 32/21

Upcoming n

DECA informal dance: today from 7-10 p.m. in the Commons

n

Spell Bowl competes at State tomorrow

n

Girls’ Basketball plays first game at Chesterton tonight at 7 p.m.

Students, teacher discuss living with type 1 diabetes page 5

Behind closed T

doors

hey live a quiet life. They try not to draw attention to themselves. When they leave their house, they never stop looking over their shoulders.

In their house, a Christmas bell hangs on the door handle year-round, a substitute for an alarm system. Every night before they go to sleep, they secure the three locks on their front door and prop a chair up underneath the handle.

For one student and her mother, this has become normal. After years of enduring mistreatment from the student’s father, they have developed this method of

Band competes at State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, places sixth page 2

30th season of Munster Biddy Ball begins page 10

Subjected to physical, emotional abuse, student, mother seek escape from longlasting effects of domestic violence

seclusion and watchfulness to protect themselves and prevent discovery.

The student’s father subjected the student’s mother

to domestic violence, which is defined by the Indiana Criminal Code as the battery of one’s spouse or the person with whom one shares a child, and the student became a victim of child abuse.

“My childhood— I didn’t have one. I was never allowed to leave the house to go outside and play with my friends due to my mother’s fear of him being there and one day snatching me up,” the student said.

“My mom, she’s terrified. That’s why she shelters me. She doesn’t want anything to happen to me not only because I’m her daughter but (because) she needs me.”

Before the abuse began, the relationship between the student’s parents seemed innocuous to the student’s mother. However, when the student’s mother became pregnant with the student, the student’s father became controlling, and her mother did not know how to get out of the situation.

“I became a punching bag,” the

student’s mother said. “I was told that meals needed to be done at a certain time. If they were not done and hot at a certain time, (they were) tossed at me. My hair was pulled. I’ve been choked. I’ve had a gun put to my head.

I’ve been stripped of clothes and put outside.”

When the student was born, the violence directed at her mother became directed at her as well. A comforting habit of twirling a strand of her hair invoked her father’s first act of aggression toward her. Angered by the habit, he shaved the student’s head and beat her.

“After the first beating was when I realized that there’s something wrong with my dad. I talked to all of my friends, and all their daddies— they buy them ice cream, they give them hugs and kisses, they put band-aids on their boo-boos. My daddy— my daddy made me take care of myself.

He made me grow up when I was only six or seven years old,” the student said. “I’m pretty sure that’s not what dads do.”

Meena Kandallu Copy Editor

Danie Oberman News Editor

Continued on pg. 6

photo illustration by Chelsea Eickleberry

2 News

Crier/ Nov. 14, 2014

Quick Notes Link Crew

New freshman mentoring club approved, startup depends in part on funding To improve the environment of the school for freshmen, Mr. Morgan Nolan, assistant principal, spearheads a new club called Link Crew. Link Crew gives juniors and seniors the responsibility of mentoring freshmen, according to Mr. Nolan.

“We will pick kids who have a good disposition,” Mr. Nolan said. “We will rely on the teachers and coaches for recommendations.”

Mr. Nolan noticed the need for identifying at-risk freshmen while he was helping seniors achieve the requirements needed to graduate.

“I hope eventually there is a kid that we can support, love, and care for, and eventually he becomes independent by sophomore year,” Mr. Nolan said. “Hopefully, he (the kid) can help freshmen when he is a junior and senior through Link Crew.”

Spell Bowl Spell Bowl returns to State competition for the first time in two years The Spell Bowl team competes at State tomorrow. After two years of failing to make State, this year’s qualification comes as a long-anticipated event to Mr. Dusan Vidovic, Spell Bowl sponsor.

“It feels awesome (to have qualified for State),” Mr. Vidovic said. “It was time.

We had very good individual scores and people stepped up. Many of them were seniors, and it was their last shot (at competing at State).”

Mr. Vidovic believes that the team has the potential to achieve their goal of placing higher than seventh place, their State placement three years ago, due to their ability to handle the competition atmosphere.

“They work well under pressure and they’re able to make correct, quick decisions on the spot,” Mr. Vidovic said.

Debate Munster hosts one of season’s largest meets, team prepares to compete Tomorrow the Debate team will compete against about a dozen other schools in a competition at Munster.

Almost every Indiana school that has a debate team will attend the competition, according to Mr. Robert Carroll, debate advisor.

It is one of the largest tournaments in Indiana with about 300 students attending it, according to Mr. Carroll.

“It’s a great test for the kids to see how focused they are and how hard they have been working,” Mr. Carroll said.

The team is preparing in three main ways: conducting research, reviewing notes and practice debating against each other, according to Mr. Carroll.

“This tournament is a great opportunity to showcase the education and competitive edge that Munster provides its students with,” Mr. Carroll said.

Corrections

In issue six of Crier, the correct date of the Homewood Flossmoor Speech meet on page two was Oct. 25. On page ten, Cheerleading Coach Kristen Szafasz, history teacher, was not identified correctly.

On page 12, Mackenzie Peirick, junior, was also not identified correctly. The cross country runners’ rankings did not include Mackenzie Peirick’s time in the regional meet, which was 21:33, giving her 18th place in the meet. Crier regrets these errors.

Final march

Marching Band finishes season as sixth in the state after Lucas Oil Stadium Vrusha Patel Editor-in-chief Marching Band placed sixth at the state competition last Saturday, according to Mr. Bret Winternheimer, band director.

“This band never stopped improving.

This is the first time in my five years at Munster that I can make that statement,” Mr. Winternheimer said, in an email. “In the past we’ve peaked around the week of Semi-state, and just tried to sustain going into State Finals. This year the band was able to improve over the next week, which was quite encouraging.”

The band has set realistic goals and they remained focused this year, according to Mr. Winternheimer.

With hours poured in to practice and games, the members have become a family, according to Garrett Zuck, senior. “It’s just a great experience because you are performing at Lucas Oil Stadium and everyone knows it’s the last run and the last shot we get to perform,” Garrett said. “It is the last time we play the show entirely.”

This year they were ranked lower in the music category in various competitions and with proper direction, the marching band found a way to relate to the music, according to Garrett.

“Finding something in the music that you can relate to helped give emotion and quality to the performance,” Garrett said.

Adam Kulam, senior, agrees that the performance was emotional due to the fact that it was the last time performing in a

photo by Ray Ojel

IN IT TO WIN IT In preparation for State, Liam Gallagher, sophomore, practices the tuba. “(The best part of State was) getting to see the whole crowd cheering after we performed our show,” Liam said.

marching band.

“It’s like closing the last page of a book,” Garrett said. “It made us want to perform as well as humanly possible.”

The feeling of “contentment and relief” washed over the members when they placed sixth at State, according to Adam.

“The highlight of the competi- Playing up Marching Band placed sixth in tion, for me, was that everybody was happy as we were walking state in their size class, Class B back to the buses and I had never 1st Greenwood High School seen that in my four years,” Adam 2nd Concord High School 3rd Northview High School said.

Last year the team placed eighth 4th Floyd Central/ Floyds Knobs School for the second time in a row despite 5th Jasper High School improving significantly. Breaking Munster High School the pattern allowed them a sense 6th source: www.issma.net of relief, according to Adam.

“Treat every performance as though it is your last because time passes quickly and before you know it, it is your last performance,” Adam said.

Fall musical cast ready to perform

“The Secret Garden,” the fall musical, runs Nov. 20 to 23. Directors and producers of the show cast Chloe Jancosek, freshman, as lead role Mary Lennox.

‘The Secret Garden,’ “If they have talent and a good audition, fall musical, proves they can land the role. This is one of the a darker, more more unique situations where the physical size and look of playing someone younger character-driven plays a big factor in getting the part,” Dr. performance. With Larry Brechner, Auditorium Director, said.

“We had many good auditions, but it came a ten year old down to who had the best vocals and actlead character, ing.” freshman actress fits Chloe’s love of theater motivated her to act in two plays at the middle school, and physical, performing her dedication eventually led to earning requirements of the role the lead role of “Annie” at Holiday Star Plaza. Because she spent so much time at rehearsals, she developed closer relationships with the people around her.

“It’s just like another family,” Chloe said. “It’s a way to express the way you feel and what you like to do.”

Chloe tried out for the role of Mary because she found relatability in her character and moving melodies in her music.

“She’s a young girl tryphoto by Ray Ojel ing to find herself, which is ACTING OUT Chloe Jancosek, freshman, left Alwhat it’s like during freshlison Hemingway, senior, right, practice their roles of Mary and Martha. “(The story line) man year,” Chloe said. “I like that she’s really snotty, makes me cry every time,” Allison said. but she turns into a sweet Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor

girl and you can’t deny the fact that you love her.”

After learning that she earned the role, she now rehearses her songs outside of practice every day to be performance-ready.

“I do feel like I deserve it because I’ve worked really hard, and this is finally, other than Annie, one of the first leads I’ve had,” Chloe said.

Her previous theater experiences have prepared her for the main role, and she feels that she has full capability to play the part well, according to Chloe.

“Playing a ten year old in a British accent is hard, but singing isn’t that difficult and it’s more fun than hard,” Chloe said.

The musical will provide more of a challenge for the actors because of the minimalist set and the complexity of the scene changes, according to Dr. Brechner.

“The show flows so much from one scene to another,” Dr. Brechner said. “It relies on the actors to establish where they are. The show is more intimate and character driven.”

“The Secret Garden” promises to deliver more emotion and be more vocally-driven compared to others done in the past.

These were deciding factors in selecting the show, along with Choir Director Mr. William Woods’ love for the musical.

“I’ve followed this musical since 1991,” Mr. Woods said. “I’m in love with the music and it’s one of my favorite musicals, so I’ve always wanted to do this one. It’s very dark, but it’s a good story.”

Crier/ Nov. 14, 2014

3 speakout

BACKTALK

“What is your take on No Shave November?”

“I think girls need to shave, but it’s cool when guys do it for prostate cancer awareness.”

Taylor LeVan, freshman

“I think it’s for a good cause, but I don’t really do it because I don’t have that much facial hair.”

Andrew Zajakowski, freshman

Building a better future

graphic by Chelsea Eickleberry

Of the 350,549 registered voters in Lake County, only 93,272 of them voted according to the unofficial election results. Roughly 27 percent of the voters turned out to performance their democratic duty.

Unfortunately this lack of votOUR TAKE ing has become the norm and it The school must stop immediately. board should Nearly every student will hold help students get the same job at least once: the job involved in politics of an American citizen. The right to vote is one of the cornerstones of the U.S. government.

Political interest in teenagers is rare, many of them remain unaware of the impact politics have on a someone.

The idea of politics and the voting system are tainted with crooked notions of corruption and greed, when in reality politics are

the influence of a person on a local, national or global scale.

With the recent elections, the school board had the chance to teach young voters about how they could have influenced their school.

Instead the candidates led a campaign focusing solely on adults.

By campaigning to student voters, the school board could not only get involved with the demographic directly affected by their election, but also educate the student body in politics.

Student perception of politics has become warped and because of this, many may choose to avoid their democratic duty. By doing this, America’s foundation cracks.

Only by voting and understanding politics can a person cement the cracks and bring America back to its former strength.

Education with a one track mind Max Baker Opinion Editor On Oct. 20 the New York State Board of Regents voted that New York students would not have to pass their U.S. or Global History exams to graduate high school. Students now focus their attention on more career oriented classes, such as accounting.

During the industrial era, public education exploded across the country.

The schools founded put a focus on logical thinking and the already defined definitions in classical literature.

Subjects such as math and English were taught, and the idea that those two classes would help secure a career in the future were drilled into students skulls.

Despite more artistic courses offered to students in the modern era, it seems

that the ideals from industrialization have not grown with the times. Math and classical literature are still pushed onto students while teachers claim the information will help us in the future.

The advanced math classes are helpful if a student wishes to enter a career which uses those skills.

For other students, the constant pressures and difficulties of the class discourage them altogether.

Math classes use logical thinking, the use of logic to find one solution of a problem, one of the most well known methods of problem solving.

However, other methods of problem solving exist and are taught through history and various art forms. One of these methods, known as divergent thinking, uses creative ideas and solutions to solve problems.

Logical thinkers look at a problem

crier

and try to solve it one way. Divergent thinkers will come up with various creative answers to a problem. Each method has its pros and cons, but schools nurture logical thinking far more than divergent thinking.

Different problems have different solutions and logical thinking may not be suited for the particular dilemma.

By allowing both methods of thought to grow, students can enter the world with a diverse set of skills that will help them tackle the problems and solutions of the world.

By removing history from a curriculum, educators continue to nurture logical thinking, rather then divergent thinking. Without creative classes, the world may only be viewed with a cold logic. Administrators must let students creativity expand in order for them to become successful in life.

“I think it’s a good idea to raise awareness, but it’s kind of strange. What does not shaving have to do with anything?

Lexi Chipules, sophomore

“I like it because you feel a little more free. Girls too. The boys feel a little more manly.”

Dara Medina, junior

“I think it’s funny that boys and girls decide not to shave. At the end of the day they are really hairy.”

Revati Kalluri, senior

“I think it’s pretty nasty when people over do it ”

Sky Flores, sophomore

“It’s a reason for guys to be lazy for a month.”

Jocelyn Martinez, junior

“I’m going to grow my hair out regardless of the month, just when the time feels right.”

Mr. Brian Clark, Athletic Director

Munster High School

Crier, Munster High School’s official student newspaper, may be reached at 8808 Columbia Ave, Munster, IN 46321, phone 219-836-3200, Ext. 3443; Fax: 219-836-3202. Published by the Honors Newspaper Advanced Writing and Editing classes, and extra-curricular involvement.

•The newspaper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for the school and community.•Crier is a source of information, entertainment, advertising and opinion for the student body, faculty, administration and community •Published material will stress objective reporting except on the editorial page where opinion writing will be featured. All published material will stress accuracy, truthfulness, integrity, honesty, responsibility, objectivity, fairness and independence.

Opinions expressed in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the School Town of Munster, faculty or administration.

Letters to the Editor are welcomed, but should be limited to 250 words. All letters must be signed and should be given directly to any staff member or delivered to the Pub, N155, one week prior to publication. Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and grammatical errors. Crier will accept letters from anyone, provided that the content pertains to school or school issues.

Mailed subscriptions cost $20 per year. Ad rates and policies are available to anyone upon request. Crier is published 14 times a school year.

The Staff Editor-in-Chief Vrusha Patel Copy Editor Meena Kandallu Opinion Editor Max Baker Sports Editors Erin Gallagher, Jordan Szymanski

News Editors Amanda Jones, Danie Oberman Infocus Editors Mariah Villaroman, Chloe Wineinger Web Editor Elena Piech Web Managing Editor William Hatczel Web Designer Alex Baker Graphics Editor Chelsea Eickleberry Head Photographer Natalia Bilek Photographers Arianna Adams, Alexis Baker, Rachel Bishop, Lauren Koultourides, Kyra Marriott, Ray Ojel, Peyton Puckett, Savannah Shaver Adviser Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman

4 news

Crier/ Nov. 14, 2014

Paying it forward Project X, Student Government, DECA organize various school-wide drives, fundraisers to help out local, national charitable causes Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor Clubs aim to help the community and its members by holding fundraisers and donation drives throughout the month of November.

Student Government takes initiative with the annual food drive starting next week. Students may bring non-perishable food items to their first hour class, according to Dan Green, senior, student body president.

“It is always nice to use the blessings we have to bless others,” Dan said.“ I personally believe God gives us blessings so we use those blessings to help those in need.”

On top of the student body collecting canned goods, Student Government will replenish the local soup kitchen’s supplies either before or after Thanksgiving, and they encourage the student body to help with that as well.

Clubs like Project X follow Student Government’s example and provide charities with supplies.

A new outreach program called brown bag supply connects Project X members to the animals at the Calumet Humane Society.

“Project X chose to reach out to different organizations like the Humane

Society because so many people really love and care about pets,” Ms. Leigh Ann Westland, English teacher and Project X sponsor, said.

The brown bag supply drive began Nov. 12 when Project X received 10 brown paper bags with the Humane Society’s wish list stapled to the front.

Project X delivered the bags to the teachers who volunteered to collect items such as paper towels, laundry detergent and animal toys in their first hour classes. The hope is that the students actively take part in making a difference, according to Ms. Westland.

“It doesn’t take much to help a cause.

For example, if the whole student body donates a dollar to something, that’s $1,500,” Ms. Westland said. “Most students have a dollar laying at the bottom of their backpacks.”

Aiding the Humane Society is just a step in the right direction for students wanting to extend their generosity.

Giving back does not have to mean giving anything up, according to Miss Westland.

“It (charity work) doesn’t take much, but it is like anything else. It takes commitment and planning, like remembering to pick up a roll of paper towels,” Miss Westland said.

If the drive is successful, Project X plans to continue working with the

photo illustration by Arianna Adams

Humane Society for various events the second annual dance, club memthroughout the year. bers try hard to add excitement. They Even small gestures such as donat- will be spicing up the decor with ing a single can of food is helping the American themed colors in honor of cause, according to Miss Westland. the American Cancer Society, the recipThe united feeling that comes from ient of the ticket sale proceeds, accordhelping toward a cure spreads across ing to Ellie. the school as DECA prepares for their “The decorations will be red, white second annual informal fundraiser and blue, Fourth of July colors, ” Ellie dance, according to Ellie Dorn, senior, said. “We will also have a photo booth and a student DJ, Aron Panas (senior).” executive VP of DECA. November is DECA month, and the With this year’s theme, United Against Cancer, the club reaches out to fundraiser dance is the major contributhe various students whose lives have tion DECA makes towards bettering been touched by the disease. the community and those around them “We decided to do this specific during the month, according to Ellie.

“This is the month to be supporttheme because of the personal experiences with cancer here at Munster,“ ive of charitable acts in general. So, as a club, we are trying to give back to Ellie said.

The club emphasizes the generality the community which has given us so of the theme this year compared to last much,” Ellie said. year’s theme.

“Last year we dedicated the dance to Cys- Local residents cannot afford to live comfortably tic Fibrosis because of AssetLimitedIncomeConstrainedEmployed what happened to the Lusk family, “ Ellie said. Alice is a name given to people and situations struggle “This year we are trying to meet basic needs like food, housing and healthcare not to put any family in the spotlight, but we n Nearly 4 in 10 Indiana citizens qualify as ALICE want to support cancer awareness and help n Lake County has 70,000 ALICE households those people out.” n 21 percent of Munster residents qualify as ALICE Although this will be source: www.nwitimes.com

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5 infocus

photo by Rachel Bishop

photo by Lauren Koultourides

DAILY ROUTINE Pictured above, John Knight, junior, pricks his finger to check his blood sugar levels in the nurse’s office.

John does this at the end of every day. “I talk about (diabetes) when it comes up. I don’t try to make myself a soap opera like a lot of people do with conditions,” John said. IN THE DETAILS Pictured top left-hand corner, Mr. Bojan Jovanovic, social studies teacher, speaks in front of his second period class. “People obviously know it (diabetes) exists and know it’s pretty prominent, but I think a lot of people don’t know the intricacies of the disease,” Mr. Jovanovic said. STILL SINGING Pictured bottom left-hand corner, Billy McDunn, senior, rehearses for the upcoming fall musical, “The Secret Garden.” “It (diabetes) doesn’t prevent you from doing anything, but it does take constant time,” Billy said.

Managing it ALL photo by Rachel Bishop

With American Diabetes Month, World Diabetes Day today, two students, teacher discuss experiences living as type 1 diabetics

Mariah Villaroman Infocus Editor

Billy McDunn, senior, can still recall the moment that led to his type 1 diabetes diagnosis.

“When I first got diabetes, I was in kindergarten and I got extremely sick because my blood sugar was really high and I didn’t know it,” Billy said. “I went to the hospital for a week. Thankfully, I haven’t been to the hospital since.”

An estimated three million Americans live with type 1 diabetes. After living with diabetes for 12 years, Billy learned to manage it despite being the only diabetic member of his family.

“I’ve never felt too bad not being able to talk about it with anyone (who has diabetes),” Billy said. “I still learned how to count carbohydrates from doctors.

Now I can eat anything and have an estimation of how many carbohydrates is in it.”

Billy finds that sometimes he still has trouble with his insulin pump due to how he switches the spot it is inserted every three days to ensure that he receives the insulin.

“Sometimes (the insulin pump) is not in a good spot on my body, but I think it is so I don’t get insulin, but it usually doesn’t happen,” Billy said. “If it does happen, it usually happens in the night. I wake up

and feel sick and nauseous. Then I check my blood sugar level, and I see it’s really high.”

Type 1 diabetic John Knight, junior, also wears an insulin pump for convenience.

“The insulin pump (is) very helpful. Instead of having four to five injections of insulin, (my pump) is good for about three days,” John said. “You don’t have to prep and warm up insulin. It calculates all the numbers for you; you just double check.”

This issue with time management in diabetes was sometimes a difficult concept to grow used to in his childhood, according to type 1 diabetic Mr. Bojan Jovanovic, social studies teacher.

“You were always on a time. You had to eat lunch at a certain time. You had to get up at a certain time,” Mr. Jovanovic said. “You had to stop a basketball game or stop hanging out with friends to go home and eat, take insulin. That was probably the worst part of it.”

As an 8-year-old, Mr. Jovanovic was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

“I always told myself there’s a lot worse things that could happen,” Mr. Jovanovic said. “I was obviously sad, but I also realized I could still have a pretty normal life. It didn’t affect me physically. I was still able to do all the other things kids did.”

Mr. Jovanovic’s diagnosis presented some changes

to help him adjust to his different lifestyle.

“My mom ate lunch with me like the entire first year of me having diabetes,” Mr. Jovanovic said, “and she would sit with me and make sure my blood sugar was alright.”

As a child, Mr. Jovanovic discovered Camp Duncan in Illinois, a summer camp that offers specialized camps for diabetics, through his hospital. This camp helps campers learn more about the disease and how others deal with it.

“When I was 10, I started going to summer camp for a week, and it was all diabetic campers, so it makes you feel less alone,” Mr. Jovanovic said. “That had a huge impact on me, meeting the others who were diabetics.”

Receiving help like this over the years, Mr. Jovanovic has become self-sufficient with his diabetes.

“From the time to a kid until now, I’ve become independent,” Mr. Jovanovic said. “I’ve been taking care of myself probably since I was 13. If I were to ask my family to explain the insulin pump, they probably couldn’t.”

Diabetes may have substantial awareness, but Billy still sees some misconceptions concerning diet, which type 1 diabetics are largely unrestricted in.

“When I was a kid, my neighbors would buy sugar free candy for me during Halloween. It was a nice gesture, but it wasn’t really necessary. It had no effect,” Billy said. “I think a lot of people think ‘Oh you can’t have that,’ but as a type 1 diabetic, I can have the same diet as anyone else.”

Though these misunderstandings about diabetes have decreased over the years, some still surround the disease today, according to Mr. Jovanovic.

“I think people maybe think it should restrict people more than it does, but it’s not as restricting with all of the new technology,” Mr. Jovanovic said. “I think there’s a slight misconception. As long as you are healthy as an individual with the disease, and you know how to take care of yourself, the restrictions are kind of minimal.”

6 infocus

Crier/Nov. 14, 2014

continued from pg. 1

Behind “ closed doors

A

fter six and a half years, the stu-

dent’s mother decided to end the relationship and the abuse.

The student and her mother moved away from the area and changed their Social Security numbers. However, the student’s father managed to find them, and they were forced to relocate once again.

“I’ve had to change my whole entire life. The hardest (part) was uprooting again,” the student’s mother said.

“We’ve done a lot of moving. I had left a job. I had left where I was living. I had to take her from the school where she was at and start all over again.

Every time we had to do something different. We would have to change what paths we took to certain places.

What grocery stores we went shopping (at).”

After multiple moves, the student and her mother were finally able to obtain a restraining order. Although the restraining order provided them with temporary security, its expiration signaled the beginning of an ongoing cycle of custody battles.

“The hardest part (of continuously battling him in court) is going and seeing him there, because he’s there. He appears in court every time. He’s very sarcastic; he’s very belligerent,” the student’s mother said, “but to this day I will continue to fight for my daughter. I will never let it rest.”

While police officers handle domestic violence cases to the best of their ability, according to Officer Jack

Deleeuw, Munster police officer, they must abide by a rigid protocol regarding investigation and arrests that is outlined by the Indiana Criminal Code.

Additionally, beyond the initial investigation by the police, the power to look into domestic violence situations on an in-depth, case-by-case basis largely lies with the court system, according to Officer Deleeuw.

“Sometimes, you don’t know who initiated it; (the police) weren’t there. And honestly, a lot of times it’s a ‘he said, she said.’ We use the facts that are given to us as best (as) we can and try to make the best decision that we can,” Officer Deleeuw said. “Ultimately, when it comes down to it, you have to follow the law.”

Because of these limitations on police intervention, the student’s mother feels the responsibility of protecting herself and her daughter. However, she refuses to utilize the same weapon that was once turned on her, choosing instead to carry a taser and mace for protection.

“I’m allowed to carry a firearm if I want to,” the student’s mother said. “I

It’s really faded now from years of being outside and being tanned over, but to me, that scar has never gone away. I can point out where it is right now,” the student said. “It’s not only a physical scar, but also an emotional one.”

choose not to because her father put one to my head, and for me, it’s a big no-no.”

With women constituting 85% of domestic victims, one in four women

in the nation will experience domestic violence during her lifetime, and 30-60 percent of children who live in homes with domestic violence will experience abuse themselves, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

This abuse, according to Mrs. Jennifer Yalowitz, licensed marriage and family therapist, can often be attributed to the idea that “abuse begets abuse.” In her experience as a therapist, many abusers in domestic violence situations come from abusive families themselves.

Another factor that often plays a role in situations of domestic violence is alcohol, according to Officer Deleeuw.

The student considers alcohol a catalyst for her father’s violent behavior, crediting it for intensifying his already aggressive demeanor.

“My dad used to leave home, go get drunk at a bar, and then come back.

The whole time, he would leave me at home by myself, and then he’d go into a rage and then begin beating me. I used to come home every weekend to my mom, sobbing (with) bruises covering my arms, my legs, my back,” the student said. “There was even one occasion where my dad punched me in the face. I was only six when that happened. Another occasion came up where my dad almost strangled me to death when he was drunk.”

Using a ploy known as “honeymooning,” the student’s father often

followed such beatings with apologies and gifts to the student’s mother.

“When things became a little too bad, he would apologize,” the student’s mother said. “It was ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.’ (He) bought me gifts, and that was his way of saying he was sorry. It lasted for about a week, two weeks, and then it became the cycle again of the hitting and the punching.”

Honeymooning often encourages victims to stay with their partners, perpetuating the pattern of abuse and apology, according to Mrs. Yalowitz.

Other factors that Mrs. Yalowitz believes cause victims to remain in abusive situations are that they worry about incurring the anger of their abusers or experiencing a loss of financial security by ending an abusive relationship.

“I see a lot of women who have been victims of domestic violence

for years, really, and I really keep them strong so that they stay away from their abuser, which is a very, very hard thing to do because very often they’re still in love with that person or there’s a pull to go back,” Mrs. Yalowitz said. “A lot of times, in addition to that, it’s low self-esteem— just not feeling like you have very much self-worth might make you vulnerable to it. Or just having a very controlling boyfriend or husband can kind of brainwash you into believing that you don’t have any value so (that) you start to feel like there are no other options for you.”

Mrs. Yalowitz considers support networks crucial to providing victims with the strength to remove themselves from abusive relationships.

Many victims seek this support with their family members, but domestic violence shelters and support groups are also viable options for those who do not have a strong network of family and friends, according to Mrs. Yalowitz.

“Really, that’s the number one thing— to get counseling, to find a shelter, to find safety, and to get strong enough so you don’t go back,” Mrs. Yalowitz said. “The only way for you to stop (the abuse) is to remove yourself from the situation.”

With her decision to finally leave her abusive relationship with the student’s father, the student’s mother realized

that she needed to change herself in order to free herself mentally as well as physically. Her first step toward removing herself from his influence was cutting her hair, choosing to defy his preference for long hair. “(The abuse is) something you can’t erase. It’s never going to be erased; your life is never going to be the same,” the student’s mother said, “but if you want to live in the sadness, it’s going to eat you. And I refuse to do that anymore. You need to pick yourself up and keep going from there and keep your head up.”

Although the student and mother are no longer in the abusive situation, they continue to experience the long term effects of their ordeal.

Through therapy, they have begun healing their scars, but the student, who can still point out a three inch mark left behind by the abuse, feels that the damage can never be fully erased.

“It’s really faded now from years of being outside and being tanned over, but to me, that scar has never gone away. I can point out where it is right now,” the student said. “It’s not only a physical scar, but also an emotional one.”

Truths unfolded

Survey shows student knowledge regarding domestic violence; numbers indicate percent who answered correctly Q: 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime.

83 A: True. 1 in 4 women will

experience domestic violence during her lifetime.

Q: 85% of domestic vio-

lence victims are women.

82 A: True. 85% of domestic violence victims are women.

Q: Most children do not

witness domestic violence that occurs in their homes.

83 A: False. Every year, more than 3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes.

Q: Police receive most reports of domestic violence.

89 A: False Most cases of

domestic violence are not reported to the police.

source: survey of 270 MHS students from Oct. 14

Bring it

Crier/Nov. 14, 2014

7 infocus

to the board

New members elected onto School Board while others retire; members discuss school funds, standards Vrusha Patel Editor-in-chief

Mr. Ron Ostojic and Mrs. Melissa Higgason were elected onto the School Board last Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Mrs. Higgason has already served for nine months after replacing Mrs. Carrie Wadas, former School Board member, in February. Mr. Ostojic was elected to take place of Mrs. Mary Yorke, vice president of the School Board.

School funding will be the focus of the board as well as asking the legislature to increase the funding for all schools.

With the district receiving an A from the Indiana Department of Education, the quality of education remains a high priority for Mrs. Higgason’s list.

“I believe it makes our community a very attractive place to be, to go to school, to raise a family, “ Mrs. Higgason said.

Mr. Ostojic plans to work with board members to

photo by Peyton Puckett

CLEAN SLATE At the School Board meeting Monday night, Dr. Phyllis Gilworth, Director of Instruction and Assessment; Mrs. Melissa Higgason, School Board member; and Mrs. Paula Nellans, School Board vice president, discuss plans for personnel. Mrs. Higgason was elected onto the School Board Nov. 4. “I consider it an honor to be elected to serve the School Town of Munster,” Mrs. Higgason said.

maintain the school standards and keep Munster a destination school with his experience in Indiana law and education background.

“Hopefully, I can assist the board members in changing the school funding to help our school corporation,” Mr. Ostojic said.

Although Mrs. Yorke retires from on the board in January, she plans to continue her involvement.

“It’s one of those complicated issues,” Mrs. Yorke said. “I taught in the school system for 35 years, and I’ve been on the School Board for eight years. I felt

after we interviewed 20 people to replace Mrs. Wadas in February, I had a sincere appreciation for the high quality people who were interested in stepping into position. I felt with all those factors added together, it seemed like an appropriate time to for me to exit.”

The elected candidates take into consideration all sides of a problem, according to Mrs. Yorke.

“Both of them are interested in looking at the bigger picture and the good of our school system,” Mrs. Yorke said.

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8 spotlight

Crier/ Nov. 14, 2014 Both Calvin Harris, Foo Fighters released news albums filled with occasional hits, repetitive tracks, boring vocals

Stuck on repeat

Foo Fighters “Sonic Highways” HHHHH Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor

Erin Gallagher Sports Editor

Calvin Harris “Motion” HHHHH

As the old saying goes, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Calvin Harris apparently took this to heart when creating his newest album, “Motion”.

Harris’ fourth album recycles his same A-list collaboration routine. The disappointment of hearing these sounds over and over again on four consecutive albums rings loud and clear.

Harris is one of the few DJ’s who can actually carry a tune, but not an entire album. For this reason, loads of top pop singers lend their talents to the set list. With the exception of the hit song “Blame,” which is sure to be overplayed by the radio, the first half of the album remains dry.

When the second half of the 15 track album picks up, it becomes clear as to why Harris shares his songs with so

many other artists. “Pray to God,” a collaboration with sister group Haim, will infect listeners around the globe.

The upbeat song features crisp vocals with a rock edge.

Harris teamed up with Ellie Goulding for the song “Outside” and provides an energetic vibe that listeners will spill out onto the dance floors for.

In an unusual act, Harris’ track “Slow Acid,” an instrumental, features crazy key keyboard techniques. This four and a half minute song gets repetitive and annoying half way through.

Harris again uses his same style of music that will make him millions. Being the highest paid DJ in the world, he averages $46 million a year.

Audiences will never know how much talent he has due to his reliance on other musicians to carry him to the top of the pop charts.

Approaching the band’s 20th anniversary, Foo Fighters have made their name by giving their fans the same music genre they know and love. Not too often deviating from the song structures they’ve used since their conception in 1995, their sound is easily recognizable and marketable.

However, there comes a point in a band’s repertoire when too much of a good thing becomes monotonous. This proves to be the major downfall in their latest album, “Sonic Highways.”

The album was conceptualized by the band touring eight cities across the country and doing a collaboration with a famous rocker for each track.

The album is a product of a television series with a title of the same name, documenting the making of the album.

It represents a great concept and an excellent arrangement. However, because the Foo Fighters have mastered their echoing trademarked style, the album “Sonic Highways” tends to disappoint audiences near the end.

The good news: the disappointment is not immediate. In fact, the first three tracks, maintaining Foo Fighters’ classic sound, deliver the head pounding, powerful sound listeners crave.

“Congregation,” one of the best tracks from the album, sets a template for the other songs. It opens with light but catchy guitar chords, followed by a soft crooning voice setting up the intensity to come.

Then—Boom—in comes the hard-hitting melodic guitar chords that tantalize their ears, but not without the edge of Dave Grohl’s urgent screams and vocals.

The song’s intensity continues to build until the end, where Grohl can barely hold onto his vocal chords.

The song closes with a heart-wrenching guitar

riff. However, this approach becomes a vicious cycle continuing the trend in at least half the songs that follow in the album, and boredom ensues by the fifth track.

That’s not to say the Foo Fighters don’t leave their fans completely unsatisfied during their recent album.

“Something from Nothing,” the first track of the album seems pretty predictable, up until the funkadelic guitar in the background provides an unexpected but welcoming element to the commonplace song.

The track that follows, “What Did I Do?/God as My Witness” is an attempt at surprising the listener by combining two same sounding songs with an almost theatrical musical-like break.

Their last song however, a seven-minute exertion of a beautiful ballad, could have been an opportunity for the Foo Fighters to make this album a standout by stunning the listener with something unexpected and refreshing.

Instead, they fail to cross this bridge, ending the last minute or two of the ballad by singing the title of the song, “I Am a River,” repeatedly.

With all the promotion and hype this album received prior to its release, diehard fans were really led to believe this was going to be something special.

“Sonic Highways” attempts to produce feel-good tracks that leave the listener wanting more. In reality, aside from a few above average songs, it’s mostly a string of annoyingly similar sounds that listeners have all heard multiple times before.

Crier/ Nov. 14, 2014

9 spotlight

Tapped out With so many different apps to use, users question how well some of them perform, fulfill their design, purpose

While most people use Netflix or Hulu plus for streaming their favorite shows, some people are not willing to pay this fee.

Crackle gives viewers the chance to stream free movies and TV shows.

This is exceptionally appealing to the user because of the word “free.”

Unfortunately, the movies and TV shows available do not seem to have a particular order.

The only recognizable content? The 90’s sitcom “Seinfeld,” “Step Brothers” and “Pineapple Express.”

This would be a great app, but the user will defiantly have trouble identifying the available shows.

What appears to be the most adorably named app available is actually one of the most powerful recipe apps on the market.

From the moment the app opens, users can feel the difference between Yummly and others apps; the app’s sleek and polished design makes other apps want to emulate it. Yummly introduces users to numerous recipes from a vast amount of sites across the web.

What’s even more appealing is that the app becomes accustomed to the user’s preferences by providing the user with personalized results.

Different filtering options give users exactly what they want while saving their preferences for later searching.

Unfortunately, Yummly’s recipe display is inconsistent. With the reevaluation of this problem, Yummly may be the recipe book of the future.

Ellen DeGeneres’ iPhone game Heads Up! remedies the dull family gatherings and the long road trips with friends.

At 99 cents, this game provides hours of fun, worth every penny. The user can pick from categories such as blockbuster movies, music and much more. After simply placing the phone on the player’s forehead, other players shout out clues for the given word.

While the premise sounds strange, the app actually provides some challenging categories.

The front-facing camera records the entire game. Players can choose to ‘save’ the video, share it on social media or even send it into Ellen for a chance to appear on her talk show.

Heads Up! combines a great icebreaker, party game and a time-killer into something that entertains users for hours.

With online ordering on the rise, GrubHub has taken the world by storm.

However, the hype has not reached Munster.

Dragon Bowl, Golden Phoenix, Capri’s Pizza and Chinatown Chinese Restaurant are the only restaurants listed in the Munster area.

When ordering on the app itself, easy-navigation and user friendliness are a few of their multiple characteristics. The efficient ordering process accepts cash, credit card or PayPal. GrubHub limits the endless stacks of take-out menus in the kitchen and revolutionizes for the fast food industry. But, the producers need to expand delivering locations first.

Waze, a navigation app that updates users with traffic alerts, surpasses Google Maps in several ways.

Aside from the maps and directions, Waze also detects traffic jams and road incidents. It will even notify users of a police presence or speed camera.

Waze falls flat when it comes to user friendliness. The home screen is difficult and confusing.

Fortunately, your hands never have to leave the wheel when using Waze as it features a microphone for voice commands.

Waze, the more detailed app the Google Maps, is what users look for when trying to find a destination quickly and effectively.

Flagging down a cab, expensive fares and bad service; just a few of the experiences one might encounter during a typical taxi ride.

Kiss goodbye to these obstacles and take a ride on the side of luxury because Uber, the newest travel sensation app, allows users to summon a driver when needed.

When opening the app, a sleek, almost terrifying, screen illuminates a woman enjoying her Uber driver escorting her to her desired destination.

By simply entering a name and credit card information, users can locate Uber cars near by, request a driver, and specify car type.

The user is notified via text message once the car has arrived. When riding as a passenger, the perks are endless.

Erin Gallagher Sports Editor

photo illustration by Ray Ojel

App wars

Apps with similar purposes are rated differently, best used in different locations Food apps: rating and when to use Yummly HHHHH

Grub Hub HHHHH

Cooking for a large party

Staying indoors for a meal

Travel apps: rating and when to use Uber Waze HHHHH HHHHH Want to take a drive in the city

Driving to an unknown address

Media apps: rating and when to use Heads Up Crackle HHHHH HHHHH Games with family or friends

Looking for new TV shows or movies

The car is clean and does not smell like old mayonnaise or other odors associated with public transportation, the drivers deliver easy communication, and a personable relationship between the passenger and driver is formed.

What does Uber have in common with the typical taxi? Almost nothing, except both of them drive a person to their final destination.

Uber drivers portray a friendly persona that delivers top notch customer service.

For example, many drivers will ask their passengers what type of music they wish to listen to during their ride.

Others tell funny stories about their time as drivers.

The responsible price costs less than a typical taxi ride across the city.

This must use app seems like it will soon replace old fashioned taxis in the technological revolution.

10 sports

Crier/ Nov. 14, 2014

30

Years of hoops

Biddy Ball starts its 30th season as organized Youth League Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor

photo by Rachel Bishop

SYNCHRONIZED STEPS The dance team practices for their UDA competition. Jackie Dye (far left), junior dances with Katie Wiening (left), junior, Catherine Tavitas (middle), senior and Melissa Fronczek (front), sophomore. “I have made great friendships through dance,” Wiening said.”We all work really hard, but we also have time to just have fun. We have made so many memories this season, and I look forward to what else our season has in store for us.”

Fierce competition

Dance heads into UDA competition; aiming for improvement Max Baker Opinion Editor The dance team will travel to the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) tomorrow to compete in a United Dance Association (UDA) competition.

The team dances for two different organizations, the UDA and the Indiana High School Dance Association (IHSDA). Over She’s got it in the bag the summer, the team Dancer shares her list of equipment she needs qualified for Nationals to compete and perform her best for the first time and is excited about having time A knee brace to practice before NationHairspray als, according to Meredith Inhaler Jazz shoes Simmons, senior.

Pirouette shoes Kneepads “The UDA competiAir Freshener Ballet shoes tions are a lot different than the IHSDA ones,” source: Meredith Simmons,senior Simmons said. “The UDA competitions are normally on a floor stage, which means we can’t use the markings on the basketball court to help like we would in an IHSDA competition. It’s a lot harder and requires a lot more practice.”

Most of the judging for the national competition is done differently as well.

“These judges are on a national caliber,” Simmons

ut!

so ck u

Che

said. “They aren’t just retired coaches; they’re the real deal.”

While the team faces harsher judging in the national competitions, they have a tougher critic already, according to Simmons. Brandee Evans, a nationally recognized choreographer, helps critique the team through messages and Skype, along with a visit during the summer.

“We’re lucky to have her,” Simmons said. “She’s a real choreographer and has been dancing for a really long time. She pushes us to work harder and do the dance justice.”

Currently, a TV show in the works titled “Hip Hop in Heels,”focuses on how Brandee helps dance teams around the country. Some of the dancers were asked to act as role models for the rest of the teams, according to Coach Cynthia Banas, WWMS teacher.

“It’s a really good feeling knowing that she (Brandee) looks so highly on the school, girls and me as a coach.” Coach Banas said.

While the details of the show are still in the works, Julianne Rice, senior, looks forward to both the show and Ms. Evan’s critiques on the team’s routines.

“I don’t know what to expect,” Rice said. “It’s a lot of pressure, but I think we should be fine. We have a great team and great coaches, and I think we’re going to be great.”

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successschoolsllc.com

Many significant events took place 30 years ago: Michael Jordan first debuted as a Chicago Bull, The Breakfast Club took their seats in Saturday morning detention and the school’s tradition of Biddy Ball was born.

“Biddy Ball is a great way to exercise with your friends and compete against people you know,” Sean Pruzin, senior, said.

Players have a relaxed vibe about Biddy Ball, according to Jordan Dixon, senior.

“It’s a competitive league of boys, but it’s not all that serious,” Dixon said “It is mainly something to have fun with your friends.”

Although there is a competitive mindset, each player must see court time during every game. The starting five rotate out for a fresh set of five once the first quarter ends.

The season kicked off last Sunday and the Youth League’s season continues into late February.

One of the driving forces dragging the boys out of bed on Sundays is pride, according to Dixon.

“People from all different sports play in it, so it’s more fun competing with your friends for bragging rights,” Dixon said.

Some players prefer Biddy Ball over regulation basketball.

“I have been playing (Biddy Ball) every year since second grade, and one of the main reasons I didn’t play high school basketball was to continuing playing Biddy Ball,” Pruzin said.

Biddy Ball is not a huge time commitment, but some in-season athletes have restraints, according to Dixon.

“Coach Marsh doesn’t let us play until football season is over because there are a lot of football players playing Biddy Ball,” Dixon said.

As Biddy Ball celebrates its 30th year this season, players like Pruzin celebrate its positive and binding effects on the community.

“It (Biddy Ball) is a different culture that you don’t always see in other towns, and it really is a great community bonding experience, “ Pruzin said.

Comeback coach

Crier/Nov. 14, 2014

11 sports

Davidson returns as Head Girls’ Varsity Basketball Coach after five seasons of absence Danie Oberman News Editor

After a five-year absence from coaching, Coach Jim Davidson, Project Lead the Way (PTLW) teacher at the high school, returned to the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team this season.

“We’ve got a different defensive philosophy, we’re learning a new offense, Throughout the years so all this ‘newness’ Team results from the years makes it kind of exwithout Coach Davidson citing,” Coach Da‘09-’10 vidson said.

Sectional In previous years, champs the girls played a ‘10-’11 zone defense. Now, Sectional they will switch to champs man-to-man defense ‘11-’12 Lost in 2nd meaning they put round of direct pressure on Sectionals the ball according to ‘12-’13 Coach Davidson.

Lost in 1st “So far, I’ve been round of really pleased with Sectionals 13’- ‘14 their efforts in pracLost in 1st tice, and that’s reround of ally all they can Sectionals do,” Coach Davidson said. “They can source: Coach Davidson show up every day at practice ready to play, ready to learn something new.”

However, assistant Varsity Coach Mike Mikolajczyk, WWMS teacher, believes that this year could be different.

“I want them (the team) to know that they have an opportunity to be a very,

very good team this year if they work hard, come together as a team and believe in themselves,” Coach Mikolajczyk said.

More substitutions can also be made without feeling like anything is being lost, according to Coach Davidson.

“The girls are going to be a lot more fresh when they come in off the bench, and it’s going to allow us to play more of an up-tempo style,” Coach Davidson said.

Another strong team advantage is having such a long-standing chemistry among the players, according to Jordan Cole, senior.

“We all know each other, we know how each other work, and we all work really well together,” Cole said.

The team scrimmaged Merrillville Nov. 8, and lost with a score of 45-37.

“For our first game, I think we did better than expected. We were alot more prepared than I thought,” Megan Zabrecky, junior, said.

The team’s first game will take place today, and Zabrecky expresses confident about how it will turn out.

“I think we’re going to do pretty well, but it’s going to be hard,” Zabrecky said.

Despite the challenges of learning new strategies and new plays, Coach Davidson still believes it will pay off.

“We’re very well rounded; that’s what makes me so excited, because we’ve got a lot of ways that we can hurt other teams,” Coach Davidson said.

photo by Ray Ojel

CALLING THE SHOTS At an after school practice, Coach Jim Davidson, PLTW teacher, instructs his players. Girls’ Basketball plays their first game tonight. “Any time you’re learning something new there’s going to be bad days where things don’t seem to work,” Coach Davidson said. “So just stay positive about it and be patient because things will come together.”

12 sports

Crier/Nov. 14, 2014

CUTTING EDGE photo by Ray Ojel

ON THE FLY While practicing, Mary Bridget Baeza, senior, swims butterfly to prepare for the Girls’ Swimming season. The girls look to keep their steak of placing at State consistent this season. “I mentally prepare myself (for meets) by not thinking about who I am racing against, I concentrate only on what I need to do in my race,” Baeza said.

Girls’ Swimming team prepares for season opener against Penn tomorrow Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor The Girls’ Swimming team presses on as they continue training for their first meet against Penn High School tomorrow. Since they placed 15th at last year’s meet, the team will put up a good fight against Penn, according to Nikki Smith, senior.

“They (Penn) always give us a good battle, so it should be a fun meet,” Smith said.

Even though the team feels they have a disadvantage because their best seniors from last year graduated, they believe that the team can make up for the losses, according to Smith.

“Both of the teams (Penn and Munster) have lost a few seniors that were really good, so we’re even,” Smith said.

The team members benefit from a closer team bond, which is key in their motivation to succeed, according to Smith.

“I think we act, as a team, really well from doing more team-oriented stuff,”

Smith said. “We’ve been working more on team stuff, so we’ve been thriving off each other during practices.”

The teammates keep each other motivated during practices by cheering each other on and doing team cheers in the morning and afternoon.

“They always tell you to keep going, and when you slack off, they make nice comments,” Megan Wimmer, sophomore said.

As well as cheering each other on, their goals of defeating rival Crown Point and experiencing a victory at Sectionals are motivating factors during the season, according to Smith.

“Seeing people around you work hard makes you want to work harder,” Smith said.

A sense of leadership from the seniors also provides a major influence for the other swim team members, according to Smith.

“The seniors have really tried to build more of a team atmosphere,” Smith said. “We’re trying to set an example to the rest of the team to be the

Slimming Down

O

ne quarter to one third of high

school and college wrestler’s participate in unhealthy weightloss techniques, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

However, with planning and good nutrition, wrestlers can eat right while still making weight. Wrestlers have a few secret ingredients to their diet.

For example, Pedialyte is a great drink that wrestlers drink on tournament days because it gives them a higher calorie intake, according to Adam Kulam, senior.

Egg whites are also a highly utilized food for wrestlers because of its high level of protein. Bottom line: egg whites are the secret to muscle building protein, according to Dylan DeYoung, senior.

Wrestlers eat several foods that are effective for losing weight and maintaining a high sports performance.

best team possible. More so (than) in time we will race against other teams, previous years, we haven’t had a sense we will be prepared.” of senior leadership, so we’re trying Coach Matt Pavlovich, physical that for this year.” education teacher, varies Outside of bond- In the swim of things practice schedules based on ing during practice, Swimmers prepare for what helped advance the the team adds to upcoming season by training girls last year. This makes the camaraderie by outside of pool, dieting the girls “stronger and more spending time get- nDry land practices explosive” during races. ting to know each What: Consist of running and “He (Coach Pavlovich) other. takes the time out of his day core exercises “It’s nice to spend Why: Running builds cardio to write practice, and we do time together outside strength and core exercises an array of stroke sets and of the pool,” Smith increases flexibility and improves sprint sets,” Smith said. said. “We’re with breathing The practices develop the each other practicgirls into more aggressive n Eliminate fast foods ing 20 hours a week, What: Quiting foods that are high competitors and maximize so it’s nice to spend in trans fat and sodium. their potential, according to time together outside Why: Not only do they cause Coach Pavlovich. of practice.”

“We try to go with a difweight gain, but also create a The team’s course sluggish feeling ferent purpose every day,” of action against Coach Pavlovich said. source: Megan Wimmer Penn consists of “We’re getting a variety as changing up their practices from last well as a distinct focus every day to year. make it (practice) more purposeful and “This year we’re doing a little more specific. They do a good job of paying sprints and races,” Smith said. “By the attention to the details of swimming.”

Wrestlers anticipate upcoming season weigh-ins by maintaining healthy diet

Nuts are eaten on tournament days by wrestlers because of the higher calorie intake and source of protein. Unsalted cashews and almonds are preferred.

Bananas provide a great source of energy for athletes. Wrestlers eat them during tournament days for a higher calorie intake and a source of potassium.

Carrots, or any type of vegetable, give wrestlers the low calories that they need for a strict diet.

Egg whites are not only a source of protein but assist in creating a healthy brain and vision. The ‘wrestling community’ praises egg whites for their large amounts of protein.

Quinoa is used as an outlet for a carb source for wrestlers. Eating it before or after workouts will fight muscle fatigue.

Granola is a good snack for wrestlers on tournament days because of the high calorie intake.

Chicken Breast serves as a classic lean muscle building protein. Wrestlers looking to bulk up eat it.

Grapes and other fruits are the healthiest form of food intake for wrestlers. source: Dylan DeYoung, senior,; Adam Kulam, senior and livestrong.com