Sports

Rivalries

Looking deeper into what constitutes a great sports rivalry. Page 27

Omonije ‘18

Going through a day in the life of a Yale football player and Google intern. Page 28

Shot chart

Highlighting junior Colin Smith’s hot zones on the court. Page 30

In brief

DOC RETIRES At the end of this school year, Doc Browning will be retiring after 36 years on campus. Browning joined the community in 1985 and has served in many roles around the school, including head athletic trainer, physical education teacher and coach, among others.

Although nowhere close to encompassing what he has done for the community, Browning’s achievements include receiving the John H. Murrell Excellencein-Teaching Award in 1994, the Ralph B. Rogers Alumni Award in 2007 and the Ackerman Character Education Award in 2015.

ATHLETES COMMIT Seniors Kit Colson and Jack Palmer and junior Ian Mize have committed to D1 colleges for their respective sports. Colson has committed to Yale University to continue his track and field career, Palmer has chosen Santa Clara University to continue his water polo career and Mize will be attending Princeton University to play lacrosse. Colson is the first student here to compete on Yale’s track team since Erick Hawkins ‘92 and Weldon Johnson ‘92.

NFL ALUMNI UPDATE Ty Montgomery ‘11 had 18 carries for 105 yards in the New Orleans Saints week 17 win against the Carolina Panthers, serving as the teams starting running back. Montgomery also contributed in the playoffs, recording four carries for 14 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although he spent time on and off of the Saints 52-man roster playing only six games, he finished the regular season with a total of 128 scrimmage yards.

Also, Kansas City Chiefs part owner and CEO Clark Hunt ‘83 and the team defeated the Buffalo Bills 38-24 in the AFC Championship Game, taking home the Lamar Hunt trophy for the second time in two years. The Chiefs will take on the Buccaneers Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay for a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

TOP RANKED Three Marksmen cracked the top 20 in Texas Private School Football’s top 32 players for each position in the state after the two-game season for the Lions.

Junior quarterback Alex Nadalini rose from 15 last year to being ranked seventh this year, junior wide receiver Conor Duffy finished ranked ninth in the state and junior linebacker Elijah Ellis was ranked 15th in the state for their respective positions.

Role models Breaking the color barrier

In honor of Black History Month, we look at some of the greatest African American sports heroes in recent history who went above and beyond athletics. Not only are these some of the best athletes the world has ever seen, but each one of them fought for equality, perservered through oppression and inspire members of the community here at 10600 Preston Rd.

ALL-TIME GREATS Track star and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens, baseball hall-of-famer Jackie Robinson, 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell and tennis legend Serena Williams (left to right) pioneered sports for African Americans through their remarkable play in the arena and their fights against social injustice outside of it.

Jesse Owens

Who was Jesse Owens? Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Master Teacher Dr. Bruce Westrate: He was a track star for Ohio State. You have to remember that he was competing in a completely different time than nowadays. I don’t think it is fair to him to simply look upon this accomplishment solely in terms of race. It was much bigger than that. He eventually went to the Berlin Olympics and represented America with Adolf Hitler presiding. We all know what Hitler’s views on Black people were, with the Nazi race theory, so Jesse winning four gold medals was looked upon as a direct slap in the face to Hitler.

As a track athlete, how has Jesse Owens inspired you? Junior track athlete Fisayo Omonije: His commitment to his events really inspires me. One time, I went to the Olympic headquarters in Colorado, and it had a bunch of stuff in honor of Jesse Owens. It had the amount of actual distance he jumped for his long jump, and I remember seeing that as a little kid, and I was just amazed at how far it really was, which goes to show how much effort they put in to get where they’re at.

How has Jesse Owens pioneered sports for African Americans? FO: I think the 1936 Olympics is one of the quintessential examples of breaking barriers. Through his performance, he empowered Black athletes to want to meet their goals and prove their worth not only as athletes but also as members of society. Obviously that inspires me a lot being a Black athlete.

Why do you think Jesse Owens is someone we still admire even today? FO: In today’s times, it’s been an ongoing fight, but the fight for racial justice in our country with Black athletes being more outspoken about that, I think that all trails back to the times of Jesse Owens, to Jackie Robinson and others. I think he [Owens] was the catalyst. You can mention the LeBron James ‘Shut Up and Dribble’ movement, the ‘More Than an Athlete’ kind of stuff that is going on today. If he didn’t start it, he moved it forward in a great way.

Serena Williams

Would you consider Serena Wiliams to be the greatest of all time? Hockaday junior tennis player Lili Beck: I would consider Serena to be the greatest tennis player of all time, between both men and women, because I think she has a really powerful style of play. She’s not defined by the stereotype that women can’t be assertive on the court. How has Serena Williams inspired you as a tennis player? Sophomore tennis player Landon Ardilla: Since I was a kid, I always just watched her –– especially in the US Open. I’d come home from practice and she would always be my favorite person to watch because her attitude on court is just so fierce. She just takes it to her opponents, and she’s always was a role model for me. LB: She really embodies the motto that hard work pays off –– especially because tennis is a wealthy and privileged sport, but she didn’t come from money. She worked her way up to the top by never giving up and never underestimating her opponent.

Is there a story about Serena Williams that stands out to you as an example of her character? LB: I remember she played this girl named Coco [Gauff] who’s a lot younger than her, and I think Coco ended up winning. I just remember Serena wasn’t freaking out about her own game; she just congratulated her and was a super good sport about it.

How do you think Serena Williams has used her voice to speak on social injustices? LA: She’s super outspoken. Especially in the African American community, so many people look up to her, and she uses that to advocate for people and minorities. She just had her sister, a great attitude and an admirable work ethic.

Bill Russell

Where do you rank Bill Russell in terms of all-time best basketball players? Middle School basketball coach Dwight Phillips: Because of his accomplishments, Bill Russell has got to be in the conversations for one of the greatest of all time. Not only was he talented, he was smart and well-respected amongst his teammates.

How has Bill Russell inspired you in basketball? DP: Bill Russell trailblazed for Black coaches. He made it easier for us, for Black coaches, to have an opportunity to coach the game we love. His influence has carried to every Black athlete today. Him being a man of integrity and a stalwart for the Black community speaks volume to what kind of man he is. Junior basketball player Tate Laczkowski: When I was nine or ten, my family and I were at All-Star Weekend in Houston, and I remember Bill Russell was there. It showed him on the jumbotron as an 11-time NBA champion, and I turned to my dad and was like, ‘Wow, who’s he?’ My dad told me how great of a player he was. He’s honestly one of the people that inspired my love of basketball –– not just the game but also the history of the NBA . How has Bill Russell pioneered sports for African Americans? TL: He talked about racial issues early on. A lot of people told him, ‘You should just play basketball.’ I think that’s transformed into today where a lot of players speak out on racial issues. It’s a great thing that all these players are using their platforms to speak about injustices that are personal to them. I think Bill Russell partly started that trend of being able to use whatever platform you have to speak up for what you believe in.

Jackie Robinson

As a baseball player, how has Jackie Robinson inspired you? Senior baseball player Abe Echt: Going through my childhood, you learn about these Black athletes who have a huge impact on and off the field, and Jackie Robinson is probably the leading icon when it comes to these kind of athletes. Everyone in the sport looks up to him, and we all try to hold our play and our character to his standard. Senior baseball player Marlon Henderson: On a lot of baseball teams, the players you meet are mostly going to be white. He helped me realize that that shouldn’t be a point that turns you off from the sport, but you should just keep on pushing forward even regardless of race and not let that be a barrier if it’s something you really want to do.

Is there an accomplishment or story about Jackie Robinson that stands out to you as an example of his character? AE: During one game against Philadelphia, Jackie was being heckled by a rampantly racist crowd and Jackie became visibly upset. The next minute, Peewee Reese, one of Jackie Robinson’s teammates, walked over and threw his arm around his shoulder and embraced the moment together to show Jackie that he was not alone. It showed what kind of person Jackie was and how he really could inspire the people closest to him.

How did Jackie Robinson pioneer baseball for African American athletes? MH: He opened up the Major Leagues to players of all different creeds and races. A lot of minorities didn’t want to play the sport because they knew there wasn’t a chance to make the major leagues. By breaking the color barrier, he allowed people to pursue their passion without being stopped by racism.