The Northridge Reporter December 2019

Northridge High School 2901 Northridge Road Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35406

est. 2003

THE DECEMBER 2019

NORTH RI D GE

www.northridgereporter.wordpress.com

REPORTER

est. 2003 The student voice of Northridge High School

VOLUME 16 ISSUE 3

THE SEASON OF GIVING

Northridge blood, food, and toy drives help those in need RYAN ROBINSON COVER/BEAT EDITOR

On Nov. 15, Northridge SGA through the American Red Cross hosted a blood drive in the auditorium for Northridge students.

“It helps emergency needs, and it also helps regularly scheduled surgeries and needs for blood,” Kathleen Oatts, SGA sponsor, said. “A lot of people only think it’s for emergency situations, but it’s actually not.”

SGA and the Red Cross had 60 people sign up for the drive, and had 28 units able to successfully donate, which is four units higher than the set goal of 24 units.

Only two people were unable to give blood, while the rest either didn’t have a chance to give blood due to time constraints or didn’t show up to give.

“I’m really excited about the numbers that we had sign up, and hopefully in the spring we can have the same numbers and more workers so we can get more units collected,” Oatts said.

WAITING GAME Many students spent hours waiting for the chance to donate blood due to both the magnitude of teachers and students willing to give and the shortage of staff available to collect blood at Northridge.

Photo by Ryan Robinson

Illustration from MCT Campus

THUMBS UP Katelyn Lovingood, junior, posess while giving blood in the auditorium lobby last month.

Photo by Ryan Robinson

Another drive taking place is the toy drive being organized by the Key Club. The drive helps benefit Lazarus Ministries, a Tuscaloosa-based ministry through Christ Episcopal Church that helps pay utility bills for local people in need year-round.

“Instead of just donating them [toys] they sell them at an extremely reduced price, and those proceeds will then go to Lazarus Ministries,” said Alayna Townsend, a Key Club sponsor.

With the proceeds from the toy drive, Lazarus Ministries then recycles the funds back into their “Food Co-op” ministry which helps distribute food to needy families. “[The drive] is benefitting people who don’t necessarily have the money to supply for their family throughout the year, but they still want to give their kids

LIBBY LISTENS Students are encouraged to love books by reading to their stuffed animals.

a Christmas,” Townsend went on to say. “It’s benefiting them and it’s also benefiting the same people that are in need to pay their bills.”

Key Club is taking “whatever people are willing to give” for the drive.

“This is the time of year that people have giving hearts, so we really are trying to appeal to those people,” Townsend said. “Not only are we doing the toy drive for Lazarus Ministries, but there is a program called Libby Listens that we’re asking for stuffed animals as well. So we’re kind of having a toy drive and stuffed animal drive, and it’s helping to give kids something to read to in a more comfortable setting. We’re really just trying to do some good in our community.”

Photo courtesy of Sloane Donovan

YES WE CAN Students turn in their cans, along with other non-perishable food items which will be donated to the West Alabama Food Bank.

Photo by Ryan Robinson

Photo by Ryan Robinson

CROSS COUNTRY WIN

SEE PAGE 7

NAVAL ACADEMY

SEE PAGE 6

SANTA PICTURES

THE GREAT DEBATE Some students argue that the compeition should not have counted ramen noodle packets as cans although they are valid non-perishable food items.

Clipart from Clipartwiki.com

SEE PAGE

AT A GLANCE

It is the season of giving, and it is also the first time Northridge has participated in the “Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger” food drive that benefits the West Alabama Food Bank. Spearheaded by the Northridge National Honor Society and carried out by the students of Northridge, the drive collected 1,112 cans for the food bank. Sixty-one of the 1,112 cans donated were “super cans” weighing 6 lbs., which in total are equivalent to roughly 490 more cans.

“We had a lot of help and guidance from Ms. Oatts and the SGA who have led this campaign before,” said Nancy Reed, who was in charge of the drive. “The National Honor Society, led by our President Emma Bissell, played a crucial role in getting the word out… We also had a great team of both National Honor Society members and many of my seniors that helped.”

As an incentive to donate, the National Honor Society came up with the idea to make the drive a competition between all second block classes with the winner receiving a pizza party. At the end of the drive, the winner was Mallie Humber’s AP US History class who brought in a total of 421 cans.

2

OPINION

[

OUR THOUGHTS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER DECEMBER 2019

staff members...

AGREE.....5 DISAGREE.....0

[

Ice skating: not an ice time CAROLINE FERRY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ice skating is the worst. Yet as the holiday season gets closer and the ice rink sets up camp downtown, I find myself excited to go skating with friends. I have this idea of a picturesque night where we may stumble a little, but laugh it off, then slowly, but surely, get the hang of the motions. There is snow in the air, lights glistening all around us, and free hot chocolate afterward. Because I have this idea of what ice skating will be, I am always eager to participate and have done so almost every year.

However, ice skating never goes the way I imagine it. I end up clinging to the rail for fear of face-planting on the ice.

Eventually, I find the courage to try it without the rail or a polar bear, but end up returning to those safety nets the minute I begin to wobble. And we haven’t even started talking about the children.

There is always an abundance of tiny children on the ice for some inexplicable reason which I will never understand.

What parent lets their child slide around on rock hard, frozen water in bladed boots? These small people have varying levels of aptitude and bravery, but every one of them poses an issue. Some kids get a little too brave and conveniently fall down in the rink where you can trip over them. Others are actually pretty good and just make you feel bad about your own shortcomings on the ice. There are also those who are unsure of their abilities and like to stop abruptly in front of you so that you either run into them or fall in the process of trying to come to a stop. It is extremely frustrating and usually just makes me angry, despite the fact that they are supposed to be cute and charming. If I am on the rink, I am hyper-focused on skating and skating only.

Those kids are nothing to me but obstacles.

There are other issues too. First, the couples who are too immersed in their date night to pay any attention to their surroundings. You can find them along

the railing, blocking the path of those of us who have to pull ourselves around the rink. Then the Zamboni, which demands to smooth out the ice as soon as you begin to feel comfortable. A few honorable mentions include screaming middle schoolers, large groups, and pompous rink monitors (we get it, you can skate).

After all of this, I leave the amphitheater tired, cold, maybe a little sweaty, and

[

disappointed. It turns from something fun to just a checkmark on the holiday bucket list. Something I HAD to get done. I return home with nothing but a few bruises and fifteen fewer dollars. I think to myself, there is no way I’ll do this again next year.

I’ve learned my lesson.

But here we are again, and I’m already planning my winter night of skating and lights. I can’t wait.

Want to submit YOUR letter to the editor? Stop by room 109, or contact one of our editors or Mrs. Lane!

[

FLUSH THIS IDEA DOWN THE DRAIN Student bathroom door removal a bad idea PATRICK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER Over the past month, Northridge has been in the process of removing all of the doors from the bathrooms. The process was supposed to begin over winter break, but there was an issue with a student using the bathroom in a sink, which caused the removal to begin in October. The idea to remove the doors obviously was not proposed due to the fear of students using the bathroom in the sinks; it was likely decided to stop kids from mischievous activities such as vaping. However, I do not believe

it is not a very good solution to the issue.

If a student really has the desire to vape, they can easily go into a stall where they will receive the same privacy as a door to the bathroom.

Many students were upset about the removal of the bathroom doors. It takes away from the privacy a student receives in the bathroom. You can easily view into the bathrooms now. One may say the bathrooms in the science wing never had doors, but I have noticed those bathrooms are designed large enough to where doors are obsolete. These cramped bathrooms throughout our school are not designed

the same way. Foul smells have even been noticed coming from the bathroom, which is expected due to the constant clogged toilets at our school.

Many students also have bathroom anxiety, which makes it harder to use the bathroom in public places. Having no doors on the bathroom definitely does not help with this issue. I have heard many students complain about no longer being comfortable while using the bathroom.

In order to stop vaping at our school, we should not be taking away from the privacy of the plethora of students who are trying to use the bathroom. Instead

we should take advantage of the multiple metal detectors we have throughout our school. If enough are set up every student can easily walk through one as he or she enters the school. Not only will this prevent students from bringing in vapes, but it will also ensure that weapons are not brought in. Enforcing a discipline policy beyond three days of ISS for students caught with vapes will also decrease the activity. After students realize the increased disciplinary action that will be taken as a result of being caught with a vape, the drive to bring one into school will surely be decreased. Vaping is an activity many students partake in within the walls of Northridge but removing the bathroom doors is not the solution.

All graphics by Adobe

est.

THE

NORTH RI D G E

REPORTER

The student voice of Northridge High School

est. 2003

Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 • (205) 759-3734 ext.

Editor-in-Chief/Front Page Editor Caroline Ferry Managing Editor Addison Taylor Feature Page Editors Caroline Ferry & Addison Taylor

Sports Page Editor Patrick Johnson Opinion Page Editor Addison Taylor Entertainment Page Editor Addison Taylor News Page Editor Josh Ellis

Opinion disclaimer: The opinions in The Northridge Reporter are those of the students and not of the faculty or administration of Northridge High School or the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education.

Cover/Beat Page Editor Ryan Robinson Business Manager Patrick Johnson Head Photographer Ryan Robinson Cartoonist Sarah Wagenheim Letters to the editor: It is the policy of The Northridge Reporter to publish all non-obscene, non-libelous, signed letters to the editor, regardless of the opinion expressed in them. Submit letters to Rhonda Lane in room 109 or email to rlane@tusc. k12.al.us.

The Northridge Reporter reserves the right to edit letters and verify allegations. The newspaper is distributed monthly.

Visit us online at northridgereporter.wordpress.com Follow us on Twitter @NHSReporter Follow us on Instagram @northridgereporter Visit our Facebook page, ‘The Northridge Reporter, 2015-16’ Check out our YouTube channel, ‘The Northridge Reporter’ See our paper ONLINE at issuu.com, ‘The Northridge

ENTERTAINMENT

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER DECEMBER 2019

3

‘DOCTOR SLEEP’ MOVIE REVIEW Forty years after the events at the Stanley Hotel, young Danny Torrence is all grown up, but the ghosts of his past still torment him.

ADDISON TAYLOR GENERAL MANAGER

Directed by Mike Flanagan, this most recent Stephen King adaptation, “Doctor Sleep”, serves as a sequel to “The Shining” and follows the character of Dan Torrence, played by Ewan McGregor, as he navigates life with a special ability known as The Shine.

Like in the original movie, those with The Shine are able to communicate with others using their mind, which gives them the ability to see things that have either happened in the past or will happen in the future.

This extrasensory power causes Dan to form an alliance with another Shiner, teenager Abra (Kyliegh Curran), whose abilities are far more powerful than Dan’s. Because of this, Abra becomes the main target of the True Knot, a group of creatures led by a new antagonist known as Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), who’ve found a way to become immortal

by feeding off of the essence of innocents who have The Shine. Together, the unlikely pair work together to defeat the group.

Whereas “The Shining” frightened viewers for decades with ghosts and the supernatural, at its core, “Doctor Sleep” presents the audience with a much more tangible fear: alcoholism and addiction, which haunt Danny as he attempts to silence his own ghosts. As a result, the conflict of the story is driven by its characters and the past burdens they carry with them, rather than demons.

But the film is not without flaws; some parts seem overdrawn and even slow-paced at times, which could be due to its grueling two hour and thirty-minute running time. However, this isn’t without reason as the film is incredibly detailed, paying homage to both the books and the original “Shining” movie, while still successfully creating its own unique cinematic world.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON An adult Dan Torrence struggles with an alcohol addiction, following in his father, Jack Torrence’s, footseps.

Photos by Tribune News Service

P O L L

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO START LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC?

All graphics by Adobe

Poll by Caroline Ferry

4

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER DECEMBER 2019

FEATURE

NORTHRIDGE FACULTY’S PICTURES WITH SANTA 2

1

3

4

6

1. L. Smith 2. R. Lane 3. M. Calhoun 4. A. Kirkland 5. M. Liljenquist 6. H. Gregory

5

7

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER DECEMBER 2019

FEATURE

5

8

9

11

10

CAN YOU GUESS WHO IS WHO? SEE PAGE 6 TO CHECK YOUR ANSWERS Photos courtesy of NHS Faculty 7. D. Stephenson 8. B. Powell 9. H. Reeves 10. C. Shumate 11. M. Humber

6

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER DECEMBER 2019

NEWS

No ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Scholarship earnings for seniors have decreased since previous years PATRICK JOHNSON SPORTS EDITOR The total scholarship earning of the class of 2020 has significantly decreased from the earnings of the class of 2019.

“Despite this year’s senior class being significantly larger, they have earned a fraction of what last year’s class earned,” said Lynsey Vickery, academic counselor.

“It is not that they are any smarter, there has been a lack in reporting received scholarships to the office.”

To get mores students to apply for college, and scholarships, Vickery held a seminar during free college application

week.

“When I heard about the meeting, I was pretty excited because I was not too sure about the steps to take to apply for college,” said Nyla Law, senior. “I learned how to properly fill out my applications and send the right information. I feel that free college application week has given me the opportunity to make the first step in pursuing my college career and goals.”

Need-based or not, receiving scholarships can play an important role in students from any socioeconomic background.

“While my family would able to pay for my college education, receiving a scholarship and being able to not put the ex-

pensive cost of tuition on them will affect their life positively,” said Sara Ghulamani, senior.

As seniors begin to apply to colleges, they also have to begin applying for scholarships and other grants to pay the tuition.

“Scholarships allow students the opportunity to seek out higher education, which often comes at a prohibitive cost,” said Josh Deck, senior. “In many cases, scholarships are awarded based on need, which somewhat levels the playing field.

FAFSA, otherwise known as Free Application for Federal Student Aid, allows for students to receive financial aid if their parents cannot afford to send their kids to college.”

Northridge grad shares of life at U. S. Naval Academy

JOSH ELLIS NEWS EDITOR

In middle school, Mary Claire Ray was given these words of wisdom: “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.”

“That’s a big life quote of mine,” Ray said. “I just wanted to be surrounded by the best people; that’s just how you grow.”

So Ray, a 2016 Northridge graduate, took the quote to heart and applied and was accepted into the United States Naval Academy, a dream and passion of hers that she knew would give her success.

Ray, now in her fourth year at the United States Naval Academy, recently returned to her alma mater to give a presentation to the Northridge Key Club about the opportunity of attending the United States Naval Academy.

The president of the Naval Academy Equestrian Club, a member of the Rock Climbing Club, and a Ravenclaw, Ray is a third-generation service member and was inspired by her father and grandfather to attend the Naval Academy.

“My grandfather [a fighter pilot] had this really cool flight jacket, kind of like the one Maverick has in ‘Top Gun,’” Ray said. “I would wear it around at Thanksgiving all the time like I was just the best!

Then, I guess it was my junior year, I asked him, ‘Grandpa Dale, how do I get this fighter jacket? I really want it.’ He said: ‘you have to graduate from the Naval Academy.’”

The “Half-Hogwarts, Half-Avengers Training Center” as Ray describes it has been Ray’s home for the last three years.

Established in 1845, the Naval Academy is the top public liberal arts school in the country, according to the U.S. News & World Report. The school currently has 4,543 students and boasts alumni ranging from astronauts to generals and even the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter.

Days consist of half a dozen classes in topics ranging from electrical engineering

to military ethics, as well as military drills and formations, and time for studying, extracurriculars, and athletics (92 percent of students participate in varsity athletics).

Majors include political science, marine engineering, and Ray’s major: robotic engineering. With the Naval Academy ranked by Forbes magazine as having the second-highest earning graduates of any public school in the country (with Naval Academy graduates earning on average $134,000 mid-career), the school has a lot to offer its students.

In return for full scholarship for every student, graduates must serve a minimum of five years of military service post-Academy. After college, Ray plans to crew a nuclear submarine and is already in the process of applying to that program. She is considering serving in active duty for around 20 years. Ray is currently eyeing some of the other lucrative opportunities an education at the Naval Academy can give after she leaves active duty.

“I could see myself running a small team, like at Amazon or Facebook,” Ray said. “That’s a lot of what my counterparts have done, to have work in really high-tech industries. I could operate and manage nuclear power plants around the country. The Naval Academy education is very fluid because every business needs good leadership and good managers.

We’ve had presidents and astronauts and Medal of Honor recipients. Our graduates are kind of crazy!”

Ray sees the Naval Academy as a tremendous opportunity, fit for students with a strong, determined mindset, students willing to serve a team, and any student with a strong desire for success. But beyond any college, Ray firmly believes that the environment and people one surrounds themselves with can make the biggest difference in one’s life.

“I have to go back to my original quote, ‘Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future,’” Ray said. “That’s something that’s always guided me in the right way,

While FAFSA is an important resource to allow students to pay for college, it takes more than just needing financial aid to receive money from the government.

“FAFSA is a great resource to pay for college if your family needs help but the amount of money one receives definitely has to do with the students GPA,” said Deck. “Students who worked harder receive more financial aid than those who did not.”

While giving need-based scholarships are a priority at many universities, there are still other ways to receive scholarships if your family has a comfortable financial situation.

“Merit based and athletic scholarships are not dependent on your background, but rather your demonstrated ability,” said Deck. “Therefore, these are open to people from all backgrounds, not just those in need.”

FUTURE MARINE A student watches as Northridge graduate Mary Claire Ray presents about her life at the Naval Academy Photo by Ryan Robinson you know, because you have friends, or people you see yourself with, that are going out drinking and partying and doing all this stuff and not really going anywhere with their life, and you’re just like, ‘That’s not for me.’ Think of the group of people

you want to be around and who you want to be one day. That’s always led me in a good path.”

To learn more about the United States Naval Academy and how to apply, go to www.usna.edu/admissions

Northridge celebrates French Week ADDISON TAYLOR MANAGING EDITOR

During the week of Nov. 4, Northridge celebrated National French Week with events honoring French culture. The week-long festivities were planned by Northridge’s French teacher Carolynn Smith and members of the French club.

“Millions of people across the world speak French,” Smith said. “It [French week] means a lot to me in terms of celebrating what my students do, celebrating what we do in class, and sharing that with the Northridge community, and I think we were successful with that.”

During lunch waves on Tuesday, students played French trivia in the cafeteria and were also able to participate in a game of Pétanque in the courtyard, an outdoor game popular in France in which two opposing teams throw metallic boules as close as possible to a target called a cochonnet.

Principal, Dr. Tygar Evans, even participated in a game with other French students. Then, after school in Smith’s room, students were invited to watch a screening

of the movie “Ratatouille.”

Wednesday after school, Smith offered T-shirt decorating in her room. And then Thursday afternoon, students were invited to attend a cream puff cooking demonstration at senior French III student and president of the French club, Laura Brooke Yarborough’s house after school.

On Friday in class, all French students watched the cooking project videos done

by French III students. Groups filmed themselves baking and cooking traditionally French food, spanning from crêpres to macarons. And to make things sweeter, the groups brought the food that they made for the project to class and shared with fellow French students.

Overall, students enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate French culture at school.

“I think it’s really cool that we’re able to do this at Northridge,” said French III student, Cameryn Taylor, junior. “I’ve been taking French for a long time, so it’s nice that what we’ve been learning about and studying is being celebrated.”

PARLER FRANÇAIS Dr. Evans plays Pétanque with sophomore French students, Mary Peyton Mullin, Ashton Brannon, and Anne Douglas Hamiter.

Photo by Addison Taylor

SPORTS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER DECEMBER 2019

7

Basketball season opens with two wins

SENIOR SEASON Emma Wilkin, senior, leads the team out for the first game of her final season of high school RYAN ROBINSON BEAT EDITOR On Nov. 13, the varsity girls basketball team opened up their 2019-2020 season against Bibb Co., where they won with a final score of 43-25. The game got off to a slow start, but Northridge got on the board first with a three-point shot by point guard Fantasia Wilson.

Defensively, Northridge was able to block the ball five times, and managed to steal the ball 14 times. Although Northridge offensively came out on top, their three-point percentage was only 16 percent while their field goal and free

throw percentages were at 28 percent and 30 percent respectively.

Bibb Co. struggled to make shots against the Northridge defense, with most either being blocked or just missed completely. Bibb Co. three-point percentage was at a very low 6 percent while their field goal and free throw percentages were at 18 percent and 39 percent respectively.

Northridge girls went on to take a 77-33 loss against the Central Falcons, last year’s 5A Alabama State Champions making their record after two games 1-1.

After a close 48-40 away win against Homewood on Nov. 12, Northridge varsity boys basketball brought it home Nov. 15

and defeated the Central Falcons in a close 61-55 game which opened up their home season. This makes their record 2-0 after two games.

“The last couple years we haven’t had many seniors. As a matter of fact, last year we had none so we have our whole team returning,” boys varsity head coach Bob Brantley said. “It makes us have a lot of experience and the guys are just excited to play. With Central being a natural rivalry and it being a home game right here at the beginning of the season, they were excited.

Central was tough. It’s a team that can score the ball.”

Sedrick Pettway led Northridge’s offense

Photo by Ryan Robinson

in scoring with 17 points, followed up

by Bodie Vail with 13 points. Northridge only made nine out of 30 three-point shot attempts, while producing slightly more results in free throw shots with 13 out of 28 shots made. The overall field goal percentage for Northridge was 35-percent and Northridge only allowed for nine turnovers during the game.

“The Central game was a very intense ball game,” said assistant coach John Cain. “I thought both teams played really well, and we were pleased with everybody’s effort. I think that’s two teams that will win a lot of ball games this year.”

Cross country team wins big at state

JOSH ELLIS NEWS EDITOR

The Northridge cross country team finished their season at the State Championship the weekend of Veteran’s Day. The addition of several new players, and new student leadership on the boys and girls teams led to the girls team winning sixth place at the State Championship out of 20 teams, while the boys team placed 17th out of 22.

Forrest York (junior), the boys team’s fastest runner, who individually placed 22nd out of more than 200 runners in the State Championship, felt positive about the results of the season.

“At State the boys team did not place well this year, but based off of this year’s times I feel that we can do the best we have ever done next year,” York said. “The girls, on the other hand, did extremely well.”

Betsy Vise (junior) had a similar reaction to how the season went.

“Both teams had a really great season, with girls making school history with their best team finish at the State Championship ever,” Vise said. “We were able to

have a lot of personal bests this season too, especially at the state meet.”

Practice and preparation for the season began during the summer, months before the season started. According to York, summer practice is necessary for having a strong season.

“For cross country, almost all the practice happens in the summer before the season,” York said. “The summer training is everything; it’s a chance to practice without worrying about time constraints or being sore for your next race. It’s all about how much good mileage you can get in, and for me individually that was roughly 550 miles.”

This dedication paid off for the team, with both the girls and boys teams winning the sectional tournament against other regional schools, qualifying both teams for the State Championship.

Despite doing tremendously well during the season, York realized that his greatest achievement this year had nothing to do with his races.

“This season my greatest accomplishment didn’t have to do with running and times as you’d probably expect,” York said.

“My greatest accomplishment this year was taking over the leadership role for the boys team that the seniors left with me last year. It was hard in the beginning,

leading all of the new runners, but I eventually got the hang of it and I will be able to carry that role into next year.”

Vise also looks to next season as an opportunity for the team to do even better.

“To really improve next season, we are hoping to do a lot more summer training,” Vise said. “To really be good at cross country you need to put in the miles in the summer, and we are hoping to have more than three people per team dedicate themselves to this. If we put the work in, the girls are hoping to be one of the top three teams at State. But that’s a long way away, so we’ll have to see!”

CHAMPS Girls cross country holds their trophy proudly after they place sixth out of 20 teams while competing at state.

Photo by Amy Vise

SWINGING IT Matthew Madden, senior, commits to playing golf for Samford.

Photo by The Tuscaloosa News

Senior, Matthew Madden, recently signed to play golf at Samford University in Birmingham. He will have his unofficial signing ceremony on Dec. 18 in the Northridge gym.

For Madden, the recruitment process was long and difficult but ultimately worthwhile as he was able to commit to a Division I school.

“It was very long and kind of vague at times,” Madden said. “It’s kind of a waiting game a lot of the time, and you have to just stay in touch with as many coaches as you can. You’re trying to go play somewhere, and they’re trying to make sure they have the best players coming. It’s a tough process.”

Other schools that recruited him include Montevallo, the University of North Alabama, and the University of West Florida.

“I chose Samford because it was just far enough away so that I could be away from home but still have the opportunity to come back whenever I wanted to,” Madden said. “I’ve heard that the education you get is really strong. The golf team and coach at Samford are exceptional, so that was really the determining factor.”

As he reaches the end of his recruitment process, Madden has some advice for younger athletes.

“If it’s something that you like doing, stick with it, work hard, and get in touch with as many coaches as you can,” he said. “You should be able to make your dream come true.”

CAROLINE FERRY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SERVING IT Charley Drain, senior, looks forward to the next stage in her volleyball career.

Photo by Ryan Robinson (@sports_ryan)

Senior, Charley Drain, is signing to play volleyball for Mississippi College. Her official signing ceremony will be on December 18 in the Northridge gym.

Drain, who plays as setter, was recruited by other Division II and III schools like Sewanee, Millsaps, and Pensacola State, as well as some junior colleges. “[The recruitment process] was a long process,” she said. “Lots of time making highlight videos, and sending lots of emails.”

In the end, Drain’s decision was based on the coaching at Mississippi College, as well as the competition within Division II of the NCAA. “I’m looking forward to playing at the next level. Competition is going to be a lot better, and I’m going to get good coaching,” Drain said. “I really love the coach. She actually used to coach at Sewanee, so I had heard great things about her from there.”

Drain’s suggestions to other students would be to take initiative in their athletics and the recruitment process.

“If they [other Northridge students] want to play in college, they should start working hard for it and emailing lots of coaches,” Drain said.

Even outside of the opportunity to be a college athlete, Drain enjoyed being a part of the Northridge Volleyball team.

“Becoming close with teammates, making good friendships, winning tournaments, and getting to play people I know from other schools was the best part,” Drain said.

Northridge athletes sign to play at the collegiate level

SIGNED AND SEALED

8 BEAT THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER DECEMBER 2019

Photo by: Ryan Robinson

THE

NORTH RI D G E

est. 2003

THE SEASON OF GIVING

REPORTER

www.northridgereporter.wordpress.com

DECEMEBER 2019 VOLUME 16 ISSUE 3