Pitch
2010 December 22 2009
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The
Walter Johnson High School
Volume 54 I Issue 4
WJPitch.com
6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814
A Decade in Review
Graphic by Parker Smith and Liz Wasden
All photos courtesy of FEMA, Newscom.com, and flickr
WJ Alum Pg. 2
Missteps of Modern Technology Pg. 7
Pg. 10
Dummies and Disasters of the Decade
Pop Cultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best & Worst Pg. 12 Pop Culture Best & Worst Pg. 12
2
Pitch
[news]
The
Volume 54 | Issue 3
Ilves, a WJ and Stanford alum, training with the Estonian Army.
Photo courtesy of Luukas Illves
Interesting Alums: Luukas Ilves
By Jennifer Spencer
Not many people know where Estonia is, or even that ‘05 graduate Luukas Ilves’ father, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, is the president of this small country in Northern Europe. Ilves has his own story to share from walking the halls as a WJ student to graduating from Stanford to holding a special position in the Estonian army. “Mostly, my daily life is like every soldier’s,” said Ilves. “My field is anti-aircraft missiles, so we spend a lot of time in the forest practicing choosing positions and then quickly packing up our gear before quickly moving to the next position.” Because his father is the president of the country, he has to be careful of his actions. As in the U.S., tabloids are prominent in Estonia and would be fast to write a story if he made any unintelligent choices. “People pay more attention to me, and I certainly couldn’t misbehave the way I did in college without it getting into the tabloids,” said Ilves. As a WJ student, Ilves was very involved in the school. As an anchor on the morning announcements, devoted student who took a rigorous course load and captain of the speech and debate team, Ilves kept himself very busy in high school. “I don’t regret my unabashed bookishness one bit,” he said. “WJ was fantastic intellectual preparation.”
Very studious in high school, he got into Stanford University. He felt that Stanford was a good fit for him overall. “Stanford is like a big palm-tree covered playground for nerds,” said Ilves. “Though serious, the place is much less outwardly competitive than East Coast schools.” At Stanford, Ilves majored in International Relations. He continued to stay active in extracurricular activities. “I did student politics, editing publications, living in co-ops and the Stanford marching band, which doesn’t actually march,” said Ilves. Estonia has a compulsory year service for men, so Ilves knew that this was something he would do after graduating from Stanford. While he feels urban life in Estonia is similar to that in the U.S. there are still many differences. “People are much more in touch with nature,” said Ilves. “Everyone has a place in the countryside and spends weekends gathering berries and mushrooms, hiking, fixing up their farmhouse.” While Ilves has pursued a different path than most WJ graduates, he feels that his experiences have helped him. “What has been useful is the general ability to think, analyze and do new things that both class work and extracurricular activities at WJ and Stanford gave me,” said Ilves.
8
Decade by the Numbers
[
[
As of November 2008, Obama’s approval ratings were recorded to be
70%
Whereas Bush’s were recorded to be
Fact courtesy of www.gallup.com
27%
Throughout his career, Alex Ovechkin, left wing for the Washington Capitals, has scored a total of
240 goals.
Fact courtesy of www.nhl.com
The top grossing film of the decade was . . .
(
The Dark Night which raked in $158.4 million opening weekend and
$533.3 million
At the Bejing Olympics in August 2008, Michael Phelps broke Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals won in a single Olympic Games.
Graphics and Compilation by Liz Wasden
Phelps won his eighth medal in the men’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay, breaking the record had stood since 1972.
in total at the box office. Fact courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com
Fact courtesy of en.wikipedia.org Fact from en.wikipedia.org
6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814
December 22, 2009
Pitch
December 22, 2009
The
[news]
Holiday Cheer Runs Through WJ Volume 54 | Issue 3
6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814
3
Manna Food Center and Shoe4Africa Benefit from Student Philanthropy
By Parker Smith
WJ has always had a competitive spirit. Charity drives are no exception. Seniors Sheng Fan, Michael Pitsenberger, Ishan Dey, Robin Mowatt and Martin Dally are leading the charge against hunger, organizing a canned food drive aimed at donating thousands of pounds of canned food to Manna Food Center, a local food bank with the mission of staving off hunger in Montgomery County. As always, WJ has set the bar high, with the goal of collecting 3000 pounds of food, to match Manna’s top contribution in 2008. To do so, these five seniors are committed to putting the canned food drive on the map, in contrast to last year, when the drive was relatively unknown among the student body. “Honestly, I didn’t even know we had [a canned food drive] last year,” said Fan. The group is dedicated to collecting cans whenever possible, and has put a variety of contests and motivations into place. These include competitions between individuals at home basketball games for a WJ t-shirt, a competition between fifth period classes for a pizza party and a competition to see which grade can build the tallest canned-food pyramid. But WJ’s charity efforts don’t stop there, as another group of seniors is working to collect athletic shoes for a charity called Shoe4Africa. “I heard about the charity from my boss at the local running store I work at and I thought about the amount of used shoes that I have and it just went from there,” said senior Sean O’Leary, who has been
66% of goal Approximately 100 pairs of shoes have been collected*
*as of Dec. 18 the shoe drive coordinator. Although the shoe drive is a way for cross-country runners to get rid of unwanted shoes, the Shoe4Africa campaign claims that a pair of shoes can mean so much more. The unique message of the organization is that a pair of shoes can change the lives of Africans by giving them the gift of running. “Send a pair of running shoes you know that has at least another 100 miles of running still left in their life so they can be properly used for the health and fitness programs we promote,” states the charity’s Web site. Although Shoe4Africa promotes the spirit of competition, these shoes are not exclusively given to future stars. “One of our first sponsored ladies was a 50-year-old farmer in Iten; she was about 200 pounds and could never become an elite runner, but she wanted to change her life,” says the Web site. WJ has been collecting shoes as part of this month of holiday drives, and has set out boxes and campaigned in classrooms in order to achieve their goal of 150 pairs of shoes.
66% of goal Approximately 2000 pounds have been collected*
Photos by Celia Karp
4
Pitch
[news]
December 22, 2009
The
Through the Last 10 Years
The Pitch staff flipped through the yearbooks from the past 10 years to find the most memorable events of the 2000s decade atWJ.
By Jenny Deutsch and Ava Bleiberg
2004
One o and p f the hom er aft rincess pa ecoming er be p ing c irs stand t rince rown ogeth ed. -
2000
2007
Students dance on the Homecoming Float.
2008 mps up rsen pu e o M fi Ra . Senior d at a pep rally the crow
Seniors share a celebratory chest bump dressed in their graduation gowns.
2005
2000
lde Wi be h t t ld ha ed t d wou ecid e pair nana an d s i h t a t i , b r r e by a afte . Lat Moo mascot ollowed y t h f Mig fficial o WJ s the ool’s o eturn t e c a h r br he sc ould WJ sh t t em o ldca ecome Moo w i W i y ng the ws pride at b e t h d h l T g i u o M ing st years prio a football cat w ited, as reak. r to th g n e thre ame durreu nman. e -year losGree
2001
Students decorate their respective hallways by class during Homecoming Week.
2008
2002 Two girls dress wildly to show their school spirit during a spirit week. g
onnin ran d r a G er ction. istoph l Chr ool constru a p i c in h ith Pr g of sc and w he beginnin t s s t n Stude ats during t hard h
Two s e T-shir nior girls st ts, wh ich re and weari n ad, “I t feels g their sen io good on to r p.”
2008
2005
2002 In honor of Tilden seventh grader Luke Carter-Schelp, who died in a car accident, WJ held a fundraiser in partnership with Community Cupcakes.
e ing th ll dur money a w e th ise r to ra ed to is tap k fundraise n a r uc Gar for a B ients. Stuck nies for Pat n for Pe
Students show their spirit during Homecoming Week.
All photos gathered from past WJ yearbooks and compiled by Jenny Deutsch
Corrections Box In the Dec. 4 issue, Sara Kwon’s name was misspelled in a sports article about swimming.
Pitch
December 22, 2009
[editorial]
The
5
When you think about this past decade, what comes to mind?
Lost in a Sea of Decades By Abby Singley Photos by Celia Karp and Cami Keyani
“The popularity of Man-Uggs.” - Sophomore Alex Andes-Gascon
“Change.” - Junior Jasmine Adams
“It’s so weird to think that there wasn’t anything like YouTube or the iPod touch.” - Sophomore Mary Kate Macedonia
Hippies. Ravers. Greasers. Disco dancers. Rock n’ Rollers. Yuppies. All stereotypes of different decades. Yet what are we? Who are we? What are the 2000s? Twenty years from now, what will our kids think when they hear “The 2000s?” We have “80s Day” and “Disco Day” for spirit week, so will there ever be something special about us? One of the first things that comes to mind when I think of the past decade is technology. Sure, technology is only going to get more and more advanced in the years to come, but we’re definitely responsible for some major technological developments. Remember back in the late 90s and early to mid-2000s when we all had screen names and were addicted to Instant Messaging? I even remember my friend showing me a site that allowed me to download special colors of fonts to make my IMs look as cool as could be. How ridiculous is that? I think our generation can definitely claim the whole IMing era, and the transition to iChat and video messaging instead of regular IMing. Facebook, Facebook, Facebook.The invention of Facebook is like the invention of the wheel for our generation. Remember the good old days when our Facebook status said “is?” While we high schoolers may not be huge on Twitter yet, it has made its mark in this decade, so social networking has certainly been a significant part of the 2000s, and who knows how it will change and advance? Technology has even influenced our For
w e e k l y
U p
A t
B a t
decade’s music. T-Pain, Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, Miley Cyrus and many more artists are all guilty of relying on machines to “sing.” There was the notorious SNL incident when Kayne’s autotune didn’t work, and he was forced to sing without the help of a machine. So rather than our generation being remembered for artists who can actually sing, we’ll be remembered for Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA.” Think about the decades that were known for real legends, like The Beatles, U2 and Bruce Springsteen. Instead, we will be remembered for Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em. Let’s all hang our heads in shame. Although a lot of our fashion has been “stolen” from past decades, we have a few things that are ours and only ours. Thanks to this decade’s fashion designers, girls now wear low-rise jeans, and thanks to various celebrities, guys now wear, thigh-waisted jeans? What a trend to be remembered for. Ever wonder what people are going to think about Uggs in 20 years? I must admit, I own six pairs of various Ugg boots and slippers, but the idea that we pay $160 for boots that aren’t even that attractive or waterproof is a bit ridiculous. All in all, it’s been an interesting decade.We’ve paved the path for high levels of communication, yet we’ve put a new spin on the “plumber’s crack” and made it acceptable for celebrities to have little talent. But hey, it’s our decade, so why not stand by what we did and be proud? There’s no going back, so pat yourself on the back and here’s for the 2000s. p o l l s ,
v i s i t
“Having the first black president.” - Sophomore Sarah Bernstein
“It’s gone by so quickly. I feel so old.” - Junior Tingrui Zhao
“The economic depression, George Bush and the history in the making from Barack Obama.” - Freshman Ted Borenstein
WJPitch.com
“Oh man, sh*t went down this decade.” - Sophomore Marvin Zhang (Left) “I remember I was in school when 9/11 happened and everything just froze and it was very scary.” - Freshman Irene Castrillo (Right)
“The change in musical trends.” - Sophomore Kwesi Lee Editors-in-Chief Colin Buley Luke Wilson Abby Singley* News Editor Ava Bleiberg Ku Jung* Assistant News Editor Liz Wasden Editorial Editor Alexandra Sanfuentes Ian Green* Assistant Editorial Editor Devon Murtha Sports Editor Mateo Williamson Hannah Flesch* Jeremy Smith* Assistant Sports Editors Kathleen Seale Zach Gordon
Arts & Entertainment Editors Sasha Tycko Sophie Meade Rylee Genner* Feature Editor Camilla Yanushevsky Katie Levingston* Assistant Feature Editor Allison Gordon Layout Editor Parker Smith Copy Editors Abby Singley Devon Murtha Photo Editor Celia Karp Kathleen Seale*
* Online Staff
Staff
The Pitch is published nine times a year by the students of Walter Johnson High School, 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814. Advertising and subscription rates are available by calling 301-803-7302. Editorial opinions represent those of The Pitch staff and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, faculty, or student body. We welcome letters, articles, photographs, and artwork to be submitted to room 211 or e-mailed to thepitch@ walterjohnson.com. The Pitch is an award-winning paper that works towards providing the student body with accurate as well as credible information.
Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2009
National Scholastic American Scholastic Press Association Press Association Pacemaker Award First Place Special Merit 2008 2008-2009
“Retro-dressing.” - Junior Donitto Smith Print Staff Writers Jennifer Spencer Flor Martinez Jenny Deutsch Cami Keyani Abby Singley Alex Spinard
Online Staff Writers Ryan Lynch Miklos Szebeni Daniel Fanaroff
Online Reporter Peter Langer Photographers PR Manager Kevin Nuñez Alex Spinard Alex Curtis Cami Keyani Business Manager Kathleen Seale Flor Martinez Andrea Linder Advertising Manager Julia Haymore Hannah Flesch Artist/Cartoonists Krithi Ramaswamy Will McGowan Samara Fantie Advisor Hilary Gates
6
[editorial]
Luke’s Life!
Pitch
Pitch Opinion: Marketing Changes Meaning of Holidays
In its beginnings, Christmas was a pious way for royal families to exchange gifts with other families and feast as their peasants froze to death outside their palaces. Now, it’s a way for Americans to spend quality time with their families while By Luke Wilson corporations milk them for money like cows they are. It is that time of year again. When par- the worthless Nothing is worse about Christmas, ents encourage their children to sit in however, than the music assothe laps of strange, bearded fat men and ciated with it. “Let abysmal it Snow,” “Deck the whisper wishes into their ears. Halls” and “Jingle Bells” as well as their Christmas is upon us. terrible co-opted rock versions are just If someone told me they saw a walking, a few. talking friendly snowman named Frosty This terrifying music can be heard evat any other point in the year, I would erywhere: on the radio, in commercials conclude they are on crack, but come and in shopping centers. the holidays, this is a fanciful tale to be shared with all. I happen to have a Christmas fairytale of my own that ultimately ended in my conversion from Christianity. In my freshman year, I made the annual trip to my Aunt Hazel’s house on Christmas Eve.This trip featured me, Hazel and her husband, Uncle Abe, sitting around a rectangular oak table, eating and gossiping about the family until Abe would drink just a little too much and needed to be tucked in for a good night’s sleep. Freshman year, however, was different. Upon my arrival, they greeted me at the By Alexandra Sanfuentes door, with a baby in Hazel’s arms. To be honest, there is nothing that How would you react if I came up to creeps me out more than the sight of you, picked my nose, reached for your two parents with a baby. I just can’t help hand and gave you a dead fish of a handbut think about how the baby came to shake? Or if the first time you saw me I be (Abe’s beer belly, crooked teeth and had ratted and knotted dirty hair and I never-trimmed fingernails coupled with was wearing a sweatshirt that had a pasta Aunt Hazel’s oversized thighs, under- sauce stain on it from last night’s dinner sized nose and bizarrely male sideburns on the front of it? Not a pretty first imcould not have been pretty). Needless to pression. say, the baby was hideous. Recently in the news was the story “Luke!” exclaimed Hazel. “Welcome. of the now famous White House GateSay hello to the newest member of our crashers, who were able to get by the family, Caleb.” president’s security by posing as guests “You guys made that?!?” I asked, my to Obama’s state dinner. According to face distorted by the sight of the wretch- dailymail.com, the couple had “certainly ed thing. dressed the part.” “Well, yes,” replied Hazel with a laugh. Judging from this situation, people “Come into the dining room.” base a lot of their opinion of you on the I wasn’t even hungry after all of the re- way you present yourself. To be honest, pugnant images that had just run through no matter how saintly you might think my mind, but I managed to finish a slice you are, most people tend to instantly, of corn bread, after which I cleared my for lack of a better phrase, “judge a book plate and headed into the kitchen. It was by its cover” when they first meet someat this time I decided that some holiday one new. An automatic reaction to a eggnog was in order. messy, sloppy or lackluster self-presentaHazel has this way of making home- tion would be that of dislike or disgust, a made eggnog that is rich and smooth, response that is typically unwelcome for and easy going down, so I decided to help most people. Unfortunately, these immemyself to a cup. I opened the refrigerator diate and lofty opinions we create of peoand grabbed the first bottle that I came ple by just looking at them are common, across, popped off the cap and poured especially in high school.What we get are myself a glass before heading back into a lot of stereotypes and predisposed ideas the dining room. of what we think people are like based on “Wow, Aunt Hazel, this eggnog is some the way they look, and we don’t wait to of the best you have ever made,” I re- find out how awesome their personality marked after taking a few sips. “I didn’t make any eggnog this year, Luke…” said Hazel, suddenly blushing. “Where did you get that from?” “From the bottle in the fridge,” I answered. “Where it always is…right?” “Usually that is right, but maybe you should just not drink too much more of that,” said Hazel. “Why not?” I asked with a chuckle. “This tastes like perfectly fine eggnog to me.” With that I took another swig and heard a yell from the kitchen. “Hazel, where did all the breast milk go for Caleb?” asked Abe. “It was all right here in the glass bottle and now it’s gone.” I spit out all of the breast milk and stormed out. How could I enjoy Christmas day after that? It was impossible. Thanks to Aunt Hazel’s breast milk, I am Jewish and I have not had a drop of eggnog since.
Dare-y
December 22, 2009
The
Even Thanksgiving pastimes couldn’t be enjoyed without watching ?uestlove from the Roots lay down the beat for Jimmy Fallon’s audio terrorism in his inexplicably Christmas-themed float at the Macy’s Day Parade. These songs are overplayed to an extreme. Their welcome quickly wears out on the listener, especially since their playtime begins a nearly a month early. Even popular radio stations like 99.5 get in on the action, throwing a few Christmas carols into the track list and generously playing Adam Sandler’s “Chanukah Song” (which, no, is not a Christmas carol, but is no less sappy and annoying). Despite being a generation that doesn’t
mind hearing “Best I Ever Had” and “Paparazzi” 25 times a day, there is a principle difference between carols and mainstream music: carols are lamer than Santa in a micro chimney. There are legitimate reasons for the proliferation of this music, however. The economy is tough, and people’s hearts need to be softened before they will open their wallets. Maybe overplaying Christmas carols is a necessary evil to keep the buying spirit of Christmas alive as well as the spirit of compassion and kindness. They are still evil, one way or another. They pollute the airwaves and cheapen the otherwise rich spirit of Christmas.
Never Get a Second Chance for a First Impression Dressing the Part Just Isn’t Enough is first. In order to make a good impression on someone, what you need is to alter this false image people have of
who they think you are and make them think otherwise the first time they meet you. Play the first impressions to your own benefit. Make your first encounter count so that you can avoid giving anyone a reason to think anything awful about you. This way there’s no reason for them to doubt you or your abilities. This doesn’t mean go out there strapped into a preppy suit jacket just to “dress to impress.” If anything, that might send the wrong idea. All you have to do is make sure that the person you’re presenting to the masses is not sniffing up snot and picking wedgies in public. Makes you cringe, doesn’t it? What should matter is the way you feel about yourself on the inside, but what if the way you present yourself starts to
affect your relations with other people? It could potentially damage your ability to get into college or get a job and it would hinder your quest to do something more with your life. As seniors finish up the last of their college interviews, keep in mind that you want to make a good, longlasting impression. Make yourself memorable. Don’t give these quick-to-judge, arbitraryopinion-forming people anything on which to base assumptions.
Graphic by Krithi Ramaswamy
Drawn and Arranged by Will McGowan
December 22, 2009
THE TRUTH
Pitch
[editorial]
The
Drawn and Arranged by Samara Fantie
7
Curveball
New Year’s Resolutions By Colin Buley
Sledding, Snow Angels: Oh, the Memories
By Liz Wasden
Photo courtesy of The Last Cookie
Judging from the size of the stripe on this caterpillar, it’s going to be a mild winter.
Since the paper is doing a decade review, I thought I’d go back ten years, too. Winter as a six-year-old, I have to say, was very different from winter as a 16year-old. While the magic and wonder of the season has all but disappeared, I still remember the many methods of trying to get it
to snow, though the motives for doing so were very different then. The appeal of sledding and snow angels on a day off is replaced by a desire to avoid taking your psych test the next day. One of the classic methods of evoking snow was wearing pajamas inside-out and backwards, which sounded fun in theory, but only seemed to yield rain and an uncomfortable night’s sleep. I vaguely remember something a friend once told me about a caterpillar that can predict the severity of the upcoming winter. Naturally, I Googled this caterpillar, and I wasn’t surprised to find that there is an old wives tail that claims that if the brown stripe down the middle of a black caterpillar is thin, it will be a lengthy, severe winter, and if it’s thick, it will be a mild, short winter. Below that, to my disappointment, it said that the size of this stripe is really determined by the climate the caterpillar lives in. Another piece of winter spirit lost to science. As the years go by I have tried to keep the holiday spirit alive, not only for myself, but for my eight-year-old sister, whom I’m afraid is not getting the same experiences out of the season that I did
when I was her age. Attempting to show her “Frosty the Snowman” didn’t go so well, as neither of my brothers wanted to listen to Frosty sing, and fast forwarding through the movie, we realized he sang through about 90 percent of it. My brother cheered at the end when Frosty melted, but inside him I could still see the shadow of the little boy who had once said he hoped he would grow up into a reindeer so he could help pull Santa’s sleigh. Concerned about being too high over the world, my brother wrote a letter to Santa asking him if maybe he could pull the sleigh on the ground. Last week I bought my first ice scraper for my car, reminding me of the days when my siblings and I fought over who would get to scrape the ice off the windshield, and icy dew on the grass was the highlight of our days. This year, in between changing the radio from the Christmas music as fast as you can and telling your little siblings that Santa doesn’t exist so that they’ll leave you alone, I encourage you to reminisce on the past 10 years, and remember what the first snowfall of the season was like for you as a preschooler.
Malicious Missteps of Modern Technology By Devon Murtha On the internet, you’re whoever you want to be. A world-wide-web celebrity, singing your acoustic version of a Justin Bieber song for all of YouTube to hearm, and comment on. Or a farmer, planting and harvesting your virtual crops so that your Facebook friends can bear witness to your agricultural finesse. But there’s one thing that modern advances in technology won’t let you be: a liar. You don’t have a girlfriend, you say? Can’t hide that; your relationship status says it all. You couldn’t make it last weekend because you were sick/grandma died/ mom’s birthday? That’s not what Twitter says. Or that album you were tagged in. There’s no skirting the truth anymore; websites like Twitter and Facebook are designed for over-sharing. Every detail about your life and whereabouts is available for anyone interested enough to look. Your private life is now public property. Celebrities should know these hard facts of technology-aided life better than anyone. When they want something to
Graphic by Krithi Ramaswamy
stay private, they should keep it off cell phone records, and especially off the web. But somehow, they cannot seem to get it right. Michael Phelps, had he the good sense to, could have taken his pot-smoking activities to a more secluded room. Or at least behind a large, potted plant. Instead, he now has to deal with incriminating photos plastered all over the web forever, for the viewing of enraged moms everywhere, and sponsors who dropped him like a hot potato. And poor Tiger Woods; there’s no escaping the wrath of Swedish women when technology is
involved. Marriage is fleeting, but cell phone records are forever. If there’s anything we’ve learned from these celebrities and the tabloid scandals that are eternally associated with their names, it’s that privacy has been compromised for the emergence of social technology. Information communicated via technology is never a secret. It lives on for colleges and future employers to see and judge. It lives on in your cell phone records and in texts you don’t want to be subpoenaed at your trial. It follows you forever.
I’m going to throw a real curveball at you guys this month and talk about something kind of serious (with funny added in), but that I feel is important. I’ve been screwing around way too much. Things in life haven’t been going the way that I want them to, and instead of fixing them, I’ve just been ignoring the problems and letting them build up. Sure, it’s been an eventful year for me. I’ve come within a few inches and a few seconds of dying a couple of times. School and college work have been gnawing at the back of my brain for what feels like an eternity. But none of these are acceptable excuses. This column will run in The Pitch’s Dec. 22 issue, but right now, as I’m writing this, I am buzzing on caffeine in my living room at three in the morning on a school night. Not a good habit, obviously, but I’m going to fix it and everything else starting now. A little early for NewYear’s, but hey, Mother Nature and time can suck it. Procrastination is my worst enemy. I’ll start there- my first resolution is to stop procrastinating like I have on every school assignment given to me over the past seven years. I know a lot of people are like me in this regard, maybe you can relate as well. Procrastination solves nothing. Procrastination is the devil. Think of it this way: procrastinating on schoolwork causes bad grades. Bad grades cause angry parents. Angry parents cause upset Colin. Upset Colin causes risky behavior. Risky behavior causes car accidents. You see? Procrastination cost me my car, my baby. Don’t let it happen to you. It’s not as epic, but here’s resolution number two. To Mr. Bos: I’m really sorry for walking in 30 seconds to five minutes late everyday; I’m really going to try and be on time to first period from now on. Same goes to whoever my first period teacher is next semester. I seem to have forgotten who you will be at the moment but I’m quite sure that I won‘t be liking your class more than sleep. However, even if I have to sacrifice my comfort and remove some things from my morning ritual, like brushing my teeth (sorry ladies), putting on clothes (I made it up to you), or doing my cute booty dance, I will do what I have to in order to be on time. Resolution number three: Stop losing friends/make back old friends. There are a lot of kids in this school that I used to be pretty chill with. Now, I pass them in the hallways and we ignore each other. People change, I get it. But like, why do we have to be mean to each other? To some of you: stop being judgmental pricks. You know who else was a judgmental prick? Hitler. Do you want to be like Hitler? To others of you: why did we stop talking? Say something to me next time you see me, I’ll try to do the same. Resolution number four: With my newfound skills, meaning, when I’m not buckling down for a couple hours to finish everything I need to, have as much fun as possible. Because it’s senior year (at least for me), and if you don’t have as much fun as possible, it is safe to say that the terrorists will have won. Well, hot damn…I feel a lot better than I’ve felt in a long time. And if you’ve read this far, thank you. Next issue, I promise, a humorous/lol-filled column will be back. I just needed to get this off my chest. Happy Holidays.
8
Pitch
[feature]
December 22, 2009
The
50s
80s
WJ has always been a school full of laughing, living and learning.
The exterior of WJ in the 60s. Before Georgetown S
How will our decade a WJ’s male swim team of 1985 is dressed for success before a meet.
WJ students put on a variety show in the 60s
Students of the 70s
60s
The 1976 “It’s Academic” team poses for a snapshot.
Students in the 50s
In the 70s, WJ even had a boys gymnastics team.
Although they didn’t wear festive costumes in the 1960s, WJ’s Madrigals performed for the school in the auditorium.
Pitch
December 22, 2009
The
Square was built, the school was surrounded by farms.
90s
9
[feature]
Typical WJ girls hanging out in the 90s.
at WJ be remembered? Just like seniors do today, seniors of the 90s paint their names on the shed.
WJ cheerleaders pose for a picture.
Students of the 60s
70s
Students of the 90s The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s male cheerleaders perform in 1985.
Having fun in the 80s.
Photos taken from past yearbooks
10
Pitch
[feature]
December 22, 2009
The
The Untold Stories Of Our Decade By Allison Gordon and Camilla Yanushevsky
2007
2008
2009
Man Marries Dog
GPS Your Woman
Rowing Naked
Two British women are attempting to break a world record in rowing across the Atlantic. They are hoping to row 3,000 miles from Gomera, an island in Spain to Antigua, in the Caribbean in 70 days, to beat the previous 75-day record for a two-woman team. How are they doing it? Naked. The two women decided to strip down completely in order to reduce friction.
Brazilian designer Lucia Lorio invented a gadget that all men should be lured into buying: a $1000 bra-and-panty set with a tiny GPS system nested in the fabric. Now a man can track down exactly where his woman is and with whom.
2006
2005
Finger Arrives At Door
Creepy Spiders
After a divorce, a Viennese man chose to finally “break free” by cutting off his ring finger, with the wedding band still attached, and mailing it to his exwife. The Viennese man was charged with harassment and assault.
2004
Man Fakes Own Kidnapping to Test Love
A German woman, in an attempt to kill the spiders in her garage, ended up burning her house down. The police of the western town of Zuelpich reported that when the can of hairspray was unable to finish the spiders off, the 34-yearold woman took out her burner. Her home is now uninhabitable to humans.
2003
Shooting In The Name Of Love A 27-year-old man in Rome persuaded his friend to shoot him in the groin because he thought this would make his ex-girlfriend feel sorry for him. When the man was questioned by the police, he first said that the wounds occurred during a hunting incident but later admitted to being shot in the groin. The man’s ex-girlfriend later made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him ever again.
A man in Columbia left his house after a fight with his wife and after about a week, his wife started receiving ransom letters asking for over $1000 for the return of her husband. After police investigated the kidnapping, they found that the man had not been kidnapped and had been writing the ransom letters himself to see if his wife still cared for him enough to pay the ransom.
2001
2002
Making Productive Milk
Zoo Sharks Gives Virgin Birth A female shark gave zookeepers a big surprise when she gave birth to two babies. This was unexpected because this shark had been kept in a tank with only female sharks and had not even been near a male shark in six years.
A 33-year-old man in India married a dog in a Hindu temple. The dog was dressed in a traditional orange sari and a flower bun. The man hoped this marriage would break a curse that he believed was started after he stoned two dogs to death.
How do you get your cow to produce more milk? At Leicester University, researchers discovered that playing songs such as Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and other1950s hits relieves tension in cows, thus making them produce more milk.
2000
Sober Man Sees Bigfoot
James Hughes, of Wisconsin, claims to have seen Bigfoot. Hughes said the thing he saw was about eight feet tall, carrying a goat and covered in hair with a face that looked like an ape. Hughes reported this to the Sheriff’s Department, making sure to tell people that he “does not drink or do dope,” however, no evidence was ever found of Bigfoot.
Cartoons by Will McGowan
‘00s 1 Pitch
December 22, 2009
The
11
[arts&entertainment]
A Decade in Pop Culture By Sophie Meade and Sasha Tycko
00
(With contributions from Colin Buley, Mateo Williamson, Devon Murtha and Alexandra Sanfuentes)
04 05 06 07
01 02 03
08 09
Encompassing most of our child, pre-teen and teen stages, the 2000’s is the first decade we can call our own. It’s easy for us to look back on past decades and define their styles and cultures with a few iconic trends, as future generations will certainly do for us.We can’t predict what culture icons will stand out most to future generations, but we picked a handful of what meant the most to us...
The Internet
This decade exploded in a frenzy of online mania, as the internet revolutionized the way we interact and essentially run our lives. From blogs to social networking to online shopping, the world is much more connected than it has ever been before.
2 3
DVDs
We would have never guessed when the ‘90s ended that within only a few years the essential VCR would be considered old school by way of the DVD. Just like the CD’s replacement of the tape, we no longer have patience for fast forward and rewind. Thank heavens for scene selection!
8 9
shall Mathers LP sold over 10 million copies in the United States alone, making it the fastest selling album of all time. At its peak, hiphop was able to find its way into mainstream music and influence both pop culture and the music industry. Sucessful artists (mainstream and underground) this decade included Kanye West, Jay-Z, The Roots, Nas, OutKast, Jurassic 5, Lil’ Wayne and Mos Def.
11
Facebook The impact of Facebook and social network-
ing on our teen lives is more obvious than almost any other change. Facebook goes beyond the categorized icon of the internet. It is a lifestyle, forever changing the way we interact with one another.
rejoiced when J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” came out- magic was cool again. The entire nation was struck with the desire to dress like wizards outside movie theaters everywhere, and every child’s twelfth birthday was ruined when their Hogwarts acceptance letter didn’t arrive.
Thin Obsession A slender, fit female frame was always de-
sired and perpetuated in the 20th century with the influence of the fashion and entertainment industry. But rarely before this decade did this desire become an obsession in daily life. For most teens today, “normal” means fat and “skinny” means perfect.
16
Photo courtesy of findingnemo.com
Texting Gone are the days of telephone conversations
or even meeting for a chat in person. In our busy lives, it is simply much easier to convey our feelings with the punching of a few keys, and like online interactions, texting has changed the nature of socializing forever.
15
18
and Urban Outfitters caught major eighties fever and then vomited track suits, neon spandex and shoulder pads all over the fashion scene. That, coupled with the popularity of synthpop, brought everybody back to their favorite decade.
As if the invention and domination of the first iPod was not enough, Apple has never seemed to stop pumping out new products that have all managed to become essential to our lives. The iPhone put more functions into a 1/2 inch width than anyone thought possible and the iPod has practically become synonymous with music.
pockets that always made your butt look bigger. When we were hit by the ‘90s, jean waistbands lowered and we became obsessed with paying for pants that were professionally ripped, bleached and bejeweled. What we have come to love by 2009, however, are our hip-huggers, tastefully slung just at the hip, bearing the occasional midriff or colorful thong.
Indie to Mainstream Originating in the ‘80s, the term “indie” categorized music that was independently produced, and eventually it came to describe a common sound that these artists shared. By the mid 2000s, however, the term came to be a contradiction of itself, as popular mainstream artists strived to create an “indie” sound.
Photo courtesy of albany_tim
Going Green
17
Low-Rise Jeans In the ‘80s, jeans were high-waisted with large
PRNewsFoto
Although many activists and government corporations have been active in the environmental movement throughout the 20th century, never before has being “green” been so trendy and mass marketed.You better not let anyone in 2009 see you throw that paper in the trash!
14
‘80s Nostalgia This decade, stores like American Apparel
Apple Products
and LimeWire in the early 2000s transformed the way we enjoyed our music. This decade marked the death of the album, as emphasis was placed on singles rather than entire albums. Online downloading rocked the record industry as we stopped paying for our music, opting for the illegal but free option.
Harry Potter Dungeons and Dragons nerds everywhere
13
Photo courtesy of illustir
Hip-Hop At the eve of the decade, Eminem’s The Mar-
12
5 7
Town once made the decision to devote his life to a cause: to become the greatest Pokemon trainer in the world. Available through television, books, comics, videogames and of course, trading cards, Pokémon took hold of kids everywhere in the early part of the decade and is still going strong today. Gotta catch em’ all, gotta catch em’ all!
Although Disney’s Pixar released the pivotal Toy Story in the mid-’90s, this distinct animation style did not become essential to animated films until we were graced with such masterpieces as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and UP. Pixar can be considered a revolution in animation, widening the mass appeal of children’s films.
phrases like that’s hot to fo’ shizzle, this decade taught us that it’s not wrong to be stoked, that wearing bling makes you hella cool, and that dawg really is man’s best friend.
10
6
Music Downloads The advent of online services like Napster
Pixar
Popular Slang We LOL’d. We Fail’d. We EPIC Fail’d. From
Photo courtesy of benstein
4
Pokémon Ash Ketchum, a young, fiery boy from Pallet
Reality TV
Reality TV’s mass appeal to almost all television viewers of the decade has been marked by a combination of “real” and surreal premises. Shows like American Idol and Survivor require talented and skillful participants while shows like The Hills and Flavor of Love have proven that even seemingly unintelligent bimbos can be stars.
Obamamania
Obama has inspired a following, bordering on an obsession, that no president before has been able to create. His youthful energy and campaign for change re-energized America, and with that smile, it’s no wonder his face is plastered on everything from tee-shirts to mugs.
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Pitch
[arts&entertainment]
The Best
&
December 22, 2009
The
Worst of the Decade
From the movies that blew our minds to the songs we’re still trying to get out of our heads, these are the 2000s...
Actors
&
1 Brad Pitt 2 Johnny Depp 3 Denzel Washington 4 George Clooney 5 Christian Bale
&
1No Country for Old Men1The Wicker Man
2 The Departed Balls of Fury 2 3 There Will Be Blood 3 Catwoman Eternal Sunshine of the 4 4 Epic Movie Spotless Mind 5 Transformers: Revenge of 5 Finding Nemo the Fallen
TV Shows Celeb Scandals Best Worst The Secret Life of the 1 Janet Jackson’s Wardrobe
124
1
2 Mad Men 3 Lost 4 The Office 5 30 Rock
American Teenager
2Kyle XY 3 Cavemen 4 Brothers 5 Mind of Mencia
PRNewsFoto/PEOPLE Magazine
Fashion Fads Worst Best
2 Belting 3 Flats 4 LiveStrong Bracelets 5 Graphic Tees
1Crocs
Best
&
Singles
2 Ugg Boots 3 Trucker Hats 4 Baggy Jeans 5 Stunna Shades
Worst
199 Problems -Jay-Z 1Photograph -Nickleback
Malfunction 2 Where is the Love? 2 Thong Song -Sisqo 2 Britney Spears’s Meltdown -Black Eyed Peas 3 Girlfriend -Avril Lavigne 3 Lindsay Lohan in Rehab Crazy -Gnarls Barkley 4 You’re Beautiful -James 3 4 Madonna and A-Rod Blunt 4 Yeah! -Usher 5 Brad, Jennifer, Angelina Paper Planes -M.I.A. Switch -Will Smith
PRNewsFoto/BET Networks
1 Lazy Sunday 2 Shoes 3 RickRoll’D 4 Chocolate Rain 5 Potter Puppet Pals
&
1 Kate Winslet 2 Meryl Streep 3 Penelope Cruz 4 Nicole Kidman 5 Angelina Jolie
5
Viral Videos
1 Skinny Jeans
Actresses
Movies Best Worst
PRNewsFoto/Segway Inc.
&
PRNewsFoto/D’Orazio & Associates for Bochic
Reality TV Worst Best
1American Idol
2Survivor 3 America’s Next Top Model
4 The Real World 5 Laguna Beach
5
1Flavor of Love
2 I Love New York 3 The Real Housewives 4 Rock of Love 5 The Surreal Life
Celebrity Trends 1 Foreign Baby Adoptions 2 Rehab 3 Kabbalah 4 Small Dogs 5 Nude Pictures
Photo courtesy of UggBoy..WHO?
PRNewsFoto/Kohl’s Department Stores, John Shearer
Shocking Deaths 1 Michael Jackson 2 Heath Ledger 3 Anna Nicole Smith 4 Steve Irwin 5 Bernie Mac
&
Musical Artists Worst Best
1Jay-Z
2 Radiohead 3 Eminem 4 Beyonce 5 Green Day
1 Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em 2 Fall Out Boy 3 Ashlee Simpson 4 Nick Lachey 5 All Time Low
December 22, 2009
Pitch
The
Athletes of the Month Volume 54 | Issue 3
Catherine Madden By Jennifer Spencer Senior guard Catherine Madden knew what the Wildcats needed most was change: change in attitude, confidence and hope after a winless season last year. She set out to create this change, and is making this a season to remember for her teammates. One of three seniors on the team, she is one of the only players to have experience playing on the varsity level for four years. “This year I am one of the three [captains] to get everyone pumped and excited to play,” said Madden. “To be recognized as a leader from my teammates and coaches means so much to me.” Sidelined with a broken collar bone last year, Madden found it difficult to lead the team off the bench last season. Coming into this season she was excited to help turn the team, 4-1, around. “Last year it was hard to pick people up when they were down, because I was not going through what they were on the court,” said Madden. “Compared to last year, being a captain means so much more.” Another change this year is in the coaching staff. Madden feels this was a smooth transition, and finds new coach Tori Moten to be inspirational. “Our new coach has instilled so many life values in us right at the beginning,” said Madden. “She brought all 24 of us, junior varsity and varsity, together into one team, a family.” Moten says that Madden’s relentless drive and tenacity on the court are what
13
[sports]
6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814
Martin Dally
By Mateo Williamson
Photo by Alex Curtis
Madden is one of three seniors, stepping up as the team leader at the point guard position.
help her steer the team. Her aspiration to help the team prove themselves this season has enhanced her own game. “The team named her one of our captains based on her experience and outgoing personality,” said Moten. “She truly wants to her team to win and she continues to become a better point guard each practice.” On and off the court, Madden has become inspirational for her teammates, and it has paid off. Already having won more games than all of last year, the team is showing great promise early in the season. In the meantime, Madden continues to help the team strive to play at the highest level possible.
On Dec. 9, the first MCPS Indoor Track Develepemtal Meet, senior sprinter Martin Dally dominated the 500m dash, clocking a school record 1:06.3, two seconds faster than his next competitor. In his third year on track, Dally has stepped up as the leader of the sprint team, both during meets and during practices. “[Dally] makes sure we all take warmups very seriously,” said junior sprinter Cole Ahnell. “He makes sure we stay focused so we improve as a team.” This year, Dally will compete in the 400m, 500m, 800m, 4x400m and 4x800m, making his performances crucial to the team’s success. His unmatched work ethic, running mechanics and leadership make him the most matured all-around athlete on the team. “He leads by example,” said coach Tom Rogers. “He knows what he needs to do [in practice] to be the best athlete he can be.” Dally has chosen this year to focus soley on running, competing in cross country during the fall, instead of playing for the WJ soccer team, a team which he started on for three years. “Cross country training over the summer and fall in the fall helped me build endurance and stamina,” said Dally. Rogers believes Dally’s commitment to improving on both his stamina and stength have set him up to be a top state competitor in his events, not only for the winter track season, but for the up-
Photo by Kevin Nu ñez
Dally will be running more events this year than he did last, including the 500 meter dash.
coming spring outdoor track season as well. “He is now in the best shape of his life and is already running times we have never seen at Walter Johnson,” said Rogers. “We’re looking for him to have some very big races for us.” Dally attributes most of his sucess to his coaches, Rogers and Tom Martin. “Without their coaching and motivation, I wouldn’t even be close to where I am now,” said Dally. “Their knowledge of the sport in unlike anyone I know.”
14
[sports]
Pitch
The
December 22, 2009
Round Table: A Decade Under Review
By the Sports Editors
This decade has seen some of the greatest sports moments in history, including some of the most controversial. Sports Editors Mateo Williamson, Zach Gordon, Kathleen Seale and Colin Buley pick and discuss the most controversial sports moments this past decade.
2009
Tiger Woods admits to infidelity and takes a hiatus from the PGA. MW: I guess you don’t need steroids to cheat in sports. ZG: So does that mean Elin Woods is available now? KS: I guess it’s a good thing that Nike didn’t drop him. I heard they are changing
their slogan to ‘Just Do Me.’ CB: Tiger has really improved his game. He’s gotten a lot better at getting his balls near the hole.
2008
Michael Phelps seen in a picture handling a water pipe. MW: I heard he was going to be on the cover of the “Weedies” box. ZG: Although Guitar Hero dropped him as a sponsor, I hear he might get offered a
contract by “Donkey Bong.” KS: When he was ripping up the pool in Beijing, the Chinese called him “ChingChong-Bong.” CB: I heard “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple was his warm-up song in the Olympics. Coincidence? I think not.
2005
Congressional hearings held for the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. MW: The MLB is making it hard on athletes to perform. Get it? Like, Performance
enhancing? ZG: Now there’s a different meaning when players get called up to “The Bigs.” KS: Wait, is that the same thing as steroids? Because I feel like steroids are really serious in baseball… CB: Steroids led to an increase in home runs. Home runs make baseball more exciting. Therefore, steroids made baseball more exciting.
Volume 54 | Issue 3
6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814
2004
National Hockey League locks out the season. MW: Really? You guys put hockey on this list?! You got to be kidding me… ZG: I heard it was because of a lack of diversity. Donald Brashear represent! KS:Wait…they got locked out of what? CB: Canada’s national suicide rate went up five percent that year. It’s true, look it up.*
2003
NBA superstar Kobe Bryant charged with sexual assault of a 19-year-old hotel employee. MW: Unlike Kobe, I will not touch this subject. ZG: Who goes for a hotel employee? Honestly? You’re a big-shot NBA star and you go for a hotel employee? KS: That’s why I didn’t see him that night! CB: From the hardwood to the hard wood, Kobe has always been a controversial scorer.
*It’s not true, don’t look it up.
Spiro’s Barber & Hairstyling 10530 Connecticut Avenue Kensington, Maryland 20895 Tel: 301-933-3370 Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday: 9AM-7PM Saturday: 8AM-6PM Sunday: 9AM-3PM E-mail: Spiros1969@aol.com
Pitch
December 22, 2009
[sports]
The
The Grid Volume 54 | Issue 3
6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814
By Zach Gordon In light of the holidays, The Pitch sports editors decided to get in the spirit and shy away from traditional articles. We were curious to see what members of each winter sport team had to say about a wide array of topics. We chose to ask the athletes who are supposed to “represent” their teams best: the senior captains. Now, sit back, treat yourself to a hot cup of cocoa and enjoy!
What WJ winter sports captains think about...
Photo by Celia Karp
New Year’s Resolution
I think Lady Gaga is...
The team won’t stop talking about...
The college application process is a trying and tedious process for all universitybound seniors. We write pointless essays and fill out page after page of meaningless personal information (why do they need to know my horoscope sign?). Not to mention all the weekends spent trying to sit down and complete an entire application with a parent nagging in each ear. But all of these inconveniences pale in comparison to the plight of the collegebound sports fan. Not only do we have to try and decide what it is we want to do with the rest of our lives (Beer-ology), but we also have to make a decision based on the success of the athletic programs. But do not fear, my fellow sports fans. I’ve compiled a brief college guide that weighs the pros and cons of different universities around the country for the average sports fan.
Photo by Kevin Nuñez
Kevin Spak, Swimming
Kat Gratton, Basketball
Alec Stirling, Basketball
Jenna Willett, Indoor Track
Nick Taylor, Wrestling
Shhh. . . it’s a secret, but I will say her name is comprised mostly of letters
Any guy from “Vampire Diaries”
Not Nick Taylor
Taylor Lautner
Alec Stirling
Get in shape
Stop making everyone so jealous all the time
Be Win some Set a world record for the even more games 4x8urrito race awesome
1)University of Nebraska Pros: Excellent Division I Football Program rich with history and tradition. Cons: You are living in Nebraska.
A leopardprint Snuggie
New A sweatSkinny jeans snowboard to wear with shirt or an sneakers boots Xbox
2) Penn State University Pros: Happy Valley is every sports fan’s ideal haven. Cons: The mascot is an effiminate, scarfwearing Lion. Meeeeeow!
Britney Spears
Watch out for Have stayed those sneaky with his fire hydrants model wife
Biggie Smalls (aka The Notorious B.I.G.)
Fergie
Just keep winning
Learn how to drive a car as far as he can drive a golf ball
STFU and play golf
Mr. Martin
Hot in that weird way that she’s crazy but talented and hot
Scary Awesome! beyond all Except Some trash reason really weird...
How good “So You Think You Can looking Dance” we are
Best Pickup How you Line doin’? Singing “Waterfalls” by TLC in the shower
House
Freshmen Junior Michael Juniors Robert Sophomore Brown New Leemor Banai Will Greenan & & Sophomore & & Senior PatNicky Fowler Harrison Gibert Maddie Chili rick Teixeira
Claire Cohen I’ve seen has to shake Fletcher Tollefson transform into everyone’s hand The Hulk right before we go to before races warm-ups
Themselves Song play- “Waterfalls” ing on your by TLC iPod
Guilty pleasure
By Mateo Williamson
Photo by Cami Keyani
The Team Freshmen Chris Best Root Imaginary & Chrissy Couple Cernoch Weirdest pre-game ritual
The Sports Fan’s Ultimate Guide to Colleges
Photo by Kevin Nuñez
What’s on A pony your wish list Pop Culture Celebrity you most Beyoncé relate to Tiger Woods should...
Slider
Photo by Celia Karp
The Holidays Person to kiss under the mistletoe
15
“Who Said” by Hannah Montana
Drinking “steroid water” Who’s going to take Muyiwa Awodiya home after practice
“The Choice is Yours” by Black Sheep
If you were a booger, I’d pick you first.
Can I have yo numba?
Chocolate chip cookies
Candy corn
Team chants
When we would warm-up to “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham
How your SGA How Luke President Tristan Wilson ran a Plunkett quit. 64 second 400 Yes, he quit.
“Bring it All Back” by S-Club 7
“Dead Wrong” by The Notorious B.I.G.
If I were a Schwann Are you from cell, I’d squeeze Tennessee? ‘Cause around your axon you’re the only and give you a fast ten I see action potential
Looking at other people’s running logs
Taylor Swift
3) Stanford University Pros: The university’s superior athletic programs are rivaled only by its academics. Cons: Pshh, good luck getting in . . . 4)Ohio State University Pros: One of the best overall athletic departments in the country; large campus. Cons: Unless you plan on majoring in agricultural science, I suggest you stay as far away as possible. 5)United States Naval Academy Pros: Army versus Navy is one of the greatest rivalries in sports/I’m on a boat! Cons: NAVY (Never Again Volunteer Yourself). 6)University of Texas Pros: The Hook-em horns are notorious around the country. Cons: Cowboy boots are very popular in Texas. WARNING: Don’t squat with your spurs on. 7)University of Maryland Pros: Maryland fans are some of the most rowdy, annoying and most passionate fans in college sports. Cons: Fans good. Teams bad.
8)University of North Carolina
Pros: You can watch all of the scholarship athletes dunk on the walk-ons during basketball tryouts. Cons: You are the walk-on. 9)Duke University Pros: You get a top quality education. Coach K and Cameron Indoor Stadium are both of legendary status. Cons: Look at the Cameron Crazies and try not to puke. And stay away from the lacrosse team. 10)Kent State University Pros: Their men’s and women’s basketball teams are the best in the MAC. Cons: Kent read? Kent write? Kent State!
Sports W i l d c a t
16
December 22, 2009
Check out The Pitch Online at WJPitch.com
Redefining the Position of “Benchwarmer”
It takes devoted players to come to sports practice every day, work their butts off and then have to decide whether or not they should sit on the left or right side of the bench. Although every team is equipped with talented players from WJ, there are still student athletes who put in the work but do not get much playing time. In the fall sports season, the girls varsity soccer season started shaky, but as communication improved, they finished 8-1-6. Junior varsity soccer midfielder Laura Kennedy has played soccer for the past three years. After an injury in the spring, she came into the fall season worried but with a positive attitude. Instead of getting plenty of playing time, she spent most of the season on the bench supporting the team. “[I was] extremely discontent [with sitting on the bench],” said Kennedy. “Mainly over the last season, I was frustrated with the way I was playing and I knew I had a lot to offer the team that I just wasn’t able to exhibit. I knew I could do better, and it was frustrating to not always be given the chance.” Head coach Liz Friedman tried to keep all the lines of communication open to the players on the team, even if they weren’t starting. “If someone was not getting a lot of
Did You Know?
There are success stories of former back-ups littered throughout professional sports. And perhaps there is no place with a greater abundance of them than in the NFL, specifically the New England Patriots.
Patriots QBs: Tom BradyWas picked in the next-to-last round of the 2000 NFL Draft A year later, made first NFL start after sitting on the bench for a season Has since led the Patriots to three Super Bowl wins and has been invited to five Pro Bowls Matt CasselWas picked in the last round of the 2005 NFL Draft Made first NFL start after sitting on bench for three seasons First NFL quarterback in history to start a game at quarter back after never starting at quarterback in college Graphic by Colin Buley
By Kathleen Seale
Senior co-captain and forward Alec Stirling has been on the varsity basketball team for the past two years. As a junior, Stirling sat on the bench waiting for his chance to arrive. “I still kept the possibility of starting in my mind,” said Stirling. “If anyone went down, I knew that I would have to step in, so I just had to be ready for that.” Now, Stirling rarely sits on the bench and plays at least three out of the four quarters of the game. “He is the ultimate team player,” said Morris. “He has no regard for his body. He does what it takes to try and win games.
Photo Illustration by Celia Karp
playing time, before they would come up to me, I would tell them what they need to work on, what we need out of them in order to receive more,” said Friedman. It was not just Kennedy who had to work on her weaknesses in order to get more playing time, but also teammate junior defender Alicia Dodrill. “[In order to get more playing time, I need to] show that I do have the skills to play as much as anyone else,” said Dodrill. Dodrill and Kennedy’s plan for next season is to work on their weaknesses in hopes of receiving more playing time. As for varsity boys soccer, junior defenders Jonathan Fix and Jack Crenca were in the same boat. Fix realized that once other players recovered from injuries, they would return to their positions and his playing time would decrease. “You can’t really expect things to stay the way they are,” said Fix. “You have to go day-by-day, and work on improving yourself.” Even though his playing time averaged at around 10 minutes a game, Crenca’s goal was to support his team and improve his skills for next year. “[It was hard to not give my full effort], but you have to look past that and look to the next year and just keep helping with the team,” he said. With the winter sports season underway, many teams are still solidifying their rosters. This gives the non-starters an opportunity to prove to their coaches that they are capable of receiving the
“
right amount of playing time. For returning varsity basketball and sophomore forward Claire Cohen, she feels that it’s about the team in general and what they do together as a whole to win. “I have a lot of things to work on and until I can master them, I deserve to be in the position that I am in,” said Cohen. Junior center Aidan Gleason also feels that the harder she works on her weaknesses the more she will play. “I’m slow and I go running three to four times a week outside of practice,” said Gleason. “Hopefully, it gets my speed under control and I’ll play more.” New coach Tori Moten feels that the girls always play as a team and that failure and success come as a group. “I think everyone has accepted the fact that your time will come when your time will come,” said Moten. “If you put in the time to get better at practice and do all the things you have to, then your opportunity to play more will arrive.” Along with varsity girls basketball, the varsity boys basketball team has started to rebuild their team after losing nine seniors to graduation. Senior guard Muyiwa Awodiya came to WJ new this year and even though he isn’t getting the playing time he would like, he still supports the team. “He contributes a good work ethic, positive atmosphere and he really likes to see the team do well,” said coach Bill Morris. “He’s happy to be here, he’s happy to be at WJ and he’s happy to be on the team.”
You can’t really expect things to stay the way they are.You have to go day-by-day, and work on improving yourself.
”
“
If you put in the time to get better at practice and do all the things you have to, then your opportunity to play more will arrive.
”
He’s a great kid and he’s really stepped up from last year. Last year, he hardly played at all and this year he’s playing a lot.” Stirling is the perfect example of what it is like for a player to come from sitting on the bench to becoming a co-captain and starter. Players’ hard work at practice and attitude about the game can catch coaches’ attention and if the players continue to work hard, their time may come.
Inside Sports pg. 13
Athletes of the Month
pg. 14
Round Table: A Decade in Sports
pg. 15
The Grid featuring:
WJ Winter Sports Captains
For all the latest WJ Sports News go to WJPITCH.com