Viking Volume XII Issue 3

Viking magazine

Volume XII, Issue 3 November 2018

The Palo Alto varsity girls soccer team emerges from the preseason fog, ready for their league opener against Gunn. Read more about their upcoming season, along with previews for the rest of the winter sports teams on page 16. @vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

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Line UP

Zooms 4 Editorial 10 Intro Package 12 breaking barriers 23 paly’s greatest 25 cat fight 29

Winter Sports Preview 17 Pickleball 36 Rap and Sports 38 Empower puff 42 Viking Tries 44 Final Word 47

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

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Run

Paly Cross Country Runners start the SCVAL Finals race in Crystal Springs.

Photo courtesy of Bhusan Gupta

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

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Champs

Javid Alasti (‘19) scores against Gunn. Boys Water Polo would go on to defeat the top seed, Los Altos, in the CCS Final.

Photo by David Hickey

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

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Juke

Jamir Shepard (‘20) dodges an Aragon defender in the Vikings’ 34-7 win.

Photo courtesy Jenna Hickey

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

Viking Editors-in-Chief Maria Fletcher Ellie Jeffries Stan de Martel

Managing Editor Lauren Daniel Design Director Zach Phillips Multimedia Editors Mallory Kuppe Cole Sotnick Business Managers Eric Aboytes Summer Daniel Beat Editors Zach Baumgarten Ryan Strathearn

Volume XII, Issue 3 November 2018

Staff Writers Alana Abeyta Ryan Bara Lincoln Bloom Sam Cleasby Kevin Cullen Sanaz Ebrahimi Dexter Gormley Gerzain Gutierrez Ella Jones Griffin Kemp Tina Lagerblad Joshua Lai Conner Lusk Joey Passarello Ya’el Sarig Ryan Stanley Jack Such

Photo Editors David Hickey Jason Shorin

Executive Senior Staff Writers Jackson Chryst Joshua Kasevich

Social Media Director Will DeAndre

Adviser Brian Wilson

Copy Editor Nathan Seto Video Editors Tyler Foug Nick Welch Head Columnists Nathan Ellisen Wes Walters

Viking Magazine Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Advertising and Sponsorship Contact: vikingads@gmail.com Viking, a sports magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Advanced Magazine Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Viking is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity.

Advertising in Viking The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with The Viking, please contact the The Viking by email at vikingeds@gmail.com Printing Services 2,500 copies of The Viking are printed, six times a year by Folger Graphics in Hayward, Calif.

Logo Font Courtesy of Måns Grebäck All photos taken from Creative Commons unless noted

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From the editors Dear readers,

Welcome to the third issue of Viking sports mag, our last magazine of 2018!

As Paly’s fall sports come to an end winter sports are gearing up to start league in January, and we here at Viking are looking forward to a winter break.

Our publication would like to wish the Paly community a big good luck with all their finals, and to the seniors the best of luck with early/action decision colleges and all those still applying regular. We urge everybody to take advantage of all the family time, rainy days, and hot chocolate this holiday season, preferably with the latest Viking edition in hand. And if by chance you are looking for a reason

to avoid your seventh family member in a row to ask where you plan on attending next year, or your specific future plans, catching up with the latest Viking is the perfect reason to retreat to your room.

This edition has storys you will not want to miss. In “Ballplayer Brilliance” Sanaz Embrahimi (‘20), Connor Lusk (‘20), Jack Such (‘20) and Tina Lagerblad (‘20) explore how the stereotype surrounding “jocks” in the media is demeaning and false, and affects students on our own campus. Our cover story “Winter Sports Previews” by David Hickey (‘19), Ryan Bara (‘20), Lincoln Bloom (‘20) and Ella Jones (‘20) looks at the upcoming sea-

Sko Vikes!

Stan de Martel, Maria Fletcher, & Ellie Jeffries

Staff View: Shuffle Senior Night

O

sons of each Paly winter sports, including their first game and returning players.

Featured on the cover are the senior members of Paly’s varsity girls soccer team. After making it to Open Division last season, the team is eager to get started this year and hopes to win league.

Those are just a couple of the stellar stories we have in story this issue, and you won’t want to miss out on the rest!

Winter break and second semester are almost here, keep grinding Vikes. We hope you enjoy our newest issue of Viking!

n October 18, boys water polo, girls water polo, and girls volleyball all held their senior nights within the same two hour window. This unfortunate planning forced many students, parents, and fans to pick only one sporting event to watch, rendering them unable to support all the Paly athletes they hoped to. Many Paly journalists also had to select one game to cover for their publications, rather than being able to report on all three of these events. Due to the price of entry, many fans were also disincentivized to attend and support Paly athletes, further decreasing attendance in addition to the overlapping scheduling choices. In order to improve attendance and allow fans to support all seniors on their senior nights, the SCVAL league should cooperate and plan separated senior night times, as well as take away the price of entry to these events.

Athletes feel far more supported and honored for their participation in their sport when more people are in attendance, and if Paly removes the cost to watch the games and creates a schedule with no conflicting games, senior nights will be more popular and better than ever. It also creates a more enjoyable environment for the fans when attendance increases. Supporters will feel more encouraged to cheer and talk, adding to the feeling that they are providing more support with attendance up. The added support from the

stands also helps motivate the players, enlivens the atmosphere and brings the community together.

In addition to improving attendance as a whole, many individuals are forced to choose a sport to attend, either due to scheduling or because they don’t want to spend an excess amount of money.

Many students have friends on multiple teams, but are forced to select one friend over another to support on senior night, possibly creating unnecessary conflict.

Many general fans also are unable to attend all the senior nights they wish.

This season, some seniors wanted to attend the water polo senior nights in addition to the girls volleyball game to support their fellow classmates in their last home game. Among these include Antony Georgiadis (‘19) who wanted to support his friends in all three of these events.

“I had to run back and forth between both games [boys water polo and volleyball] in order to support both during their opening ceremony,” Georgiadis said.

Many other students were forced into this same conundrum, as parents and fans struggled to favor one sport.

When the SCVAL and El Camino leagues make their schedules, they should be conscious of the importance of a final home game and should be easily able to reschedule the games so that all of these senior’s nights can be supported.

Finally, the ability of photographers and journalists to attend and cover

senior nights is also hindered when the schedules overlap and the entry fee remains. This further prevents the amount of recognition the seniors deserve because their last home game can’t receive any publicity. Students and adults covering these games have to decide on one sport to photograph and cover. Although most journalists are not required to pay to cover these games, the overall amount of recognition by the student and city media heavily decreases when multiple senior nights occur at once.

Some might argue that it is difficult to schedule senior night games far in advance, and that the price of attendance is crucial for maintaining funding for these sports. However, Paly and the various leagues it is a part of have the resources and staff to be prepared for these games and plan around multiple events on the same night. In addition, Paly has received millions of dollars in donations over the past few years, and a few five dollar investments to attend the game won’t truly provide sufficient funding for these sports. The money used to buy excess basketballs and football equipment that goes unused can easily be removed from the budget, allowing students and fans to attend senior nights for free.

All in all, reshifting the schedule and removing the price of Paly’s senior nights would increase attendance and recognition for the players on an important day in their athletic careers.

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

Pop Culture Grid Athlete you looked up to?

Kenzo Morabia (‘19) Boys Soccer

Ronaldinho

Ray Allen

Annie Niethhammer (‘19) Girls Basketball

Dad

Colin Kaepernick

Tyler Varner (‘20) Girls Soccer

Hope Solo

Rap Name?

Secret Ability?

Big Man Keebz

Great Singer

Dream Job?

Soccer Player

Future

McDonalds Drive Thru Skills

Pro Poker Player

Cupcake

Phobia of Fruit

CEO of “Anne Elizabeth Cosmetics“

Lil Mt. Dew

Can fold tongue into a clover shape

Music Producer

Yung Ty V

Singing

Pediatrician

Best thing you’ve gotten for free?

Costco Samples

20 McNug- Marvin Zou (‘19) gets and a Boys Basketball Large Fry

My House

My Guitar

Halo Lynch (‘21) Boys Wrestling

Philz Coffee

Moment of the Month

Girls golf wins CCS

Photos courtesy of Jasmine Choi

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Photos courtesy of Jessica Pineda

10 Questions With

Trisha Razdan

Viking Magazine had the chance to ask Paly girls’ volleyball star Trisha Razdan (‘21) 10 Questions. We then asked her coach, teammate and friend what they thought she said. Here are their responses...

as told to Eric Aboytes and Joshua Kasevich

Trisha Razdan (‘21)

Benji Seatang Coach

Amelia Gibbs (‘20) Teammate

Anya Yakimenko (‘21) Friend

Questions?

Grace Thayer

Funniest Teammate?

Amelia Gibbs

Grace

Jesus

Egg Fried Rice

Pre-game Meal?

Snack bars

Fried Rice

3 Pints of Mayonnaise

Singing really well

Secret Talent?

High pitch screaming

Singing

Cracking Toes

Owen the Freshman

Celebrity Crush?

Ryan Gosling

Owen Rice

Carl Azuz

The Office

Favorite TV Show?

Friends

The Office

The Office

Oscar’s Band Tribute Band

Best thing about Paly?

Friends

Coding Club

Friends

Schoology

Favorite App?

Spotify

Settings

Tik Tok

REDEMPTION

Favorite Volleyball Drill?

Redemption

Redemption

Rebounding

Can’t by Young FRB

Favorite Song?

Anything by Drake

Can’t by Young FRB

Fancy by Iggy Azalea

Athletic Conditioning

Favorite Class?

Robotics

French

Athletic Conditioning

10%

70%

20%

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

Inside the Mind Of

Zoe Douglas

Best Part about the Cross Country team?

The people are definitely the best part of cross country. Everyone is really hardworking, but we have a lot of fun together.

Do you have a pre-run ritual?

I try to stay hydrated throughout the day and get my mind ready for the race.

If you weren’t running?

If I was not on the team I would be really bored and probably do homework or some other random stuff, but to be honest I do not even know.

Free time activities?

I love to do arts and crafts.

Plans after Paly?

I plan on running in a club or doing intramural sports in college. Running is a great way to stay active and meet amazing people, so I definitely want to continue running.

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Viking’s Top 5:

Places to work out 5. YMCA 4. Paly Gym 3. JCC 2. Venice Beach 1. anywhere, anytime

Super fan dan

From the Viking Magazine Staff, we would like to thank Super Fan Dan for his unconditional support for all Paly teams throughout the past 25 years. @vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

On the Field A

Girls Soccer:

By The Numbers

fter a 13-5-2 run last year and placing 2nd in SCVAL’s, the girls soccer team’s season came to an end at the hands of top national team Archbishop Mitty in the CCS Open Division Semifinals.

Although the team only lost five players on Varsity, thoses loses will be felt during the year. “They were all really impactful players,” Khadija Abid (‘19) said.

“The hardest hit was probably the defense, since we lost Ally, Bella, and Clara – two of our starting defenders and our starting goalie. We also lost Emily, our starting mid and the lead goal scorer.”

Senior Leela Srinivasan echoed Abid on the loss of Emily Tomz.

“She’s an incredibly skilled player, but more than that she really brought our team together.” Another big loss was goalie Clara Luehrs (‘18). However, Srinivasan believes in her teammates’ ability to rise to the role. “I’m confident that senior Kaitlyn Hanay will step up and fill in her footsteps,” Srinivasan said.

“There are a ton of super talented returning seniors and juniors, so I’m really excited about this years roster,” said Abid. “Leela’s incredible, we have Caroline coming back and both the Claire’s

5 Seniors Lost

11 Returning Seniors

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Stacked with an experienced and talented roster, the girls soccer team has high hopes for the upcoming season and look to regain the SCVAL championship.

are healthy and uninjured, so it should be a fun season.” With injuries plaguing the team last year and forcing players to sit out multiple games, the return of the players will be a huge boost for this years team.

Even though the new team hasn’t had much practice all together, they have been practicing the entire offseason for their clubs.

“Paly soccer has had a really successful past couple of years, so I’m excited to go out there and keep dominating,” Abid said. “Our team goals every season are always try to get the best record we can, win league, get as far as we can in CCS and state’s, and to beat Mountain View.”

With the losses of these key players, Srinivasan wants to bring the team together as one unit. “My freshman year on varsity there was a huge hierarchy on the team, and I really want om make an effort to make every player feel equally included and valued,” Srinivasan said.

After the disappointing end in the playoffs last year, the Vikings are looking forward to build off of last season, starting with their opening game vs Gunn on November 27. Some key games to look forward to are the December 4th game vs Archbishop Mitty and the January matchups against league challenger Mountain View.

Shutouts Juan Aguila(19’)

Eric Aboytes(19’)

12+

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Khadija Abid (‘19) tears down the field, battling St. Francis for possession. Photo by David Hickey. w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

With a host of new talent, boys soccer enters their infamously difficult preseason, training for a challenging season and looking to the future for a successful record.

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On The pitch

oys soccer has been a powerhouse in Paly’s past, completing several trips into the CCS. The Palo Alto Vikings’ Boys soccer team looks forward to yet another successful year after going 14-4-3 in the 2017-18 season. Returning seniors include Isaiah Schoenberger (‘19), Nathan Seto (‘19), Juan Aguila (‘19), and Leyton Ho (‘19). The boys aim to gain vengeance after losing CCS in the first division semifinal game.

“I look forward to making a deep push into CCS, and hopefully winning it all this season since we got close last year,” Marcus Ama (‘20) said. The team has lost seven seniors including defender Matt Knowles (18’) and goalie Kiran Misner(18’).

Players are optimistic about the young talent incoming.

“It’s always a surprise to see what underclassmen make varsity but hopefully we can get a couple guys, who are ready to contribute to the team,” Ama said.

Young talent will be a factor in the team’s performance this year and in the future, so it is important for the incoming players to adapt to the fast playstyle and mentality of varsity.

Sharing playing time with last year’s goalie Kian Misner (‘18), goalie Jackson Druker (‘20) looks to lead his team.

“Keeping a strong minwdset is very important,” Druker said. “A confident

keeper is extremely important for a team to succeed, but that confidence is built from the rest of the team leading me as well.”

The team has a goal of working harder than ever before, pushing themselves both mentally and physically.

Endurance and conditioning is critical for a sport such as soccer where running is prominent. The boys completed runs, conditioning, and footwork during tryouts to test their physical capabilities.

Timed two mile runs were completed to build endurance which is one of the most important factors for soccer players (especially a midfielder).

Players completed 2v2 drills with a goalie to work on team chemistry and teamwork.

This drill also tests players individual skill with collaboration and communication playing a factor.

6v6 game simulation drills were also completed during tryouts in order for the coach to evaluate game like performance.

The players also completed a vertical jump test, putting their hops to evaluation.

Long jumps were completed to even further test players “bunnies” with distance involved.

The results will show in the season opener on November 27.

Boys Soccer:

By The NuMbers

47 Goals Scored

19

Goals allowed

14

Games won

Players to watch

70.5% Win Percentage Isaiah Schoenberger (‘19)

Eric Abotes (‘19)

Marcus Ama (20’) @vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

Aanika ShaH:

By The Numbers

16.2

average points per game

2.3 average Steals per game

51%

From the Line

In the Paint O n the edge of our seats, Viking fans watched the Palo Alto girls basketball team battle Carlmont in the CCS semi-finals last season, unfortunately ending in a loss for Paly. Though they did not win the CCS title, it fueled them with with a desire for retribution. After last year, the team had an accomplished season, finishing first in league with a 27-7. The Vikings only lost one senior.

“There is a good amount of returning players from last year, which is very helpful because we can continue to bond, have that team chemistry with each other, and be able to trust each other, which is a major part of the team aspect,” Annie Niethammer (‘19) said. The powerful bonds between the players allows for increased levels of play and builds promise for a successful season.

Though their history and chemistry alone as a team show their potential for great success, the girls have not been lax about improving and developing their skills.

“This preseason, Paly has had open gyms that go from Monday through Thursday,” Aanika Shaw (‘21) said. “We alternate between open gyms and strength and conditioning each day, everyone has been working hard and improved since last year.”

But they will also be taking it back to basics: “We work on all the fundamentals

Paly girls basketball eagerly anticipates their upcoming season: not only excited for rematches but also excited to grow and improve their team. The girls passionately prepare and train in hopes for a successful upcoming season.

and the little things to help us become a better team whether it’s on or off the court. Some of these include ball handling, shooting, conditioning, and more,” Shaw said.

This intense preparation is bound to pay off, already kickstarting their goals for this season.

The players are focused on what they hope to achieve over the course of the year. “This season we will definitely be working on as many things as possible – especially defense,” Niethammer said.

“Coach always tells us that defense wins games.”

With their first home game against Los Altos on November 28, anticipation for the season is growing.

“This year I am excited to become even more closer with all the girls, and of course winning,” Shaw said.

Niethammer also shared Shaw’s enthusiasm.

“I am excited to get to know some of our new players and grow chemistry with them and also just to be part of a team that continues to grow throughout the season and seeing how much we have improved from the beginning to the end,” Niethammer said.

The team is gearing up in preparation for their next season, promising it will be a very exciting one. Come out and support the Vikings on the 28th and throughout their season.

100% Viking Alpha

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Aanika Shaw (‘21) lays it up after surpassing the Carlmont defense. Photo by Karen Ambrose Hickey w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

The Vikings’ boys basketball team looks to continue their postseason success after going to the NorCal finals two consecutive years with a brand new coach and young team. The Vikes have been training all offseason and are ready to show they are a force to be reckoned with.

A

On The Court

dynasty has come to an end for the Paly Vikings boys basketball team after legendary coach Peter Diepenbrock and nine seniors left last season. The 2017 CCS champions broke records, being the first public school to win a game in open division playoffs, and were back to back Northern California Division One runner-ups in 2017 and 2018.

This year, the team has a new identity and their work is cut out for them.

“It’s definitely going to be tough going into the season knowing that most of the guys playing won’t have that much varsity experience,” forward Matthew Marzano (‘20) said.

All five of last year’s starters graduated so the new team is relatively young and inexperienced having only five returning varsity players. Despite this, the team has been working to build chemistry for the upcoming season hosting open gyms since last May, playing in various tournaments over the summer, and beginning strength and conditioning workouts earlier this fall.

“Something I experienced last year, being the youngest on the team, was that everyone embraced each other and became a family,” Marzano said. “We’re going to need that same teamwork and love from one another in order for us to succeed.”

The team still has talent from players like senior Marvin Zou who is bound for a breakout season after being a part of the varsity team for the last two years. Zou has been referred to as “Future” by his team-

mates since his sophomore year, and now will finally have the opportunity to display his talents that coined him the nickname.

“He is a silent killer,” teammate Anthony Yu (‘20) said. “He is quiet and lowkey most of the time, but he gets buckets when you least expect it.”

Overshadowed by the senior starters who played the majority of the minutes last season, Zou didn’t have significant opportunities to make huge impacts on the game. This season, however, he will have one of the biggest roles on the team.

“I just want to be able to play with more confidence,” Zou said. “I’m going to have a bigger role on the team this year, so I want to make the most out of my last year and give it my everything.”

With the Diepenbrock era at an end, new coach Rodney Tention has taken over the boys basketball program. Tention is no rookie to coaching as he has been an assistant Division One coach for various teams including University of Arizona, San Jose State University, and Stanford.

“My main goal is to get better every time we step on the court, practice and games” Tention said. “We would like to win the league and continue with a good run in the postseason. Just as important is that we have fun.”

With their first game on November 27 against Sequoia High School, the teamhopes to start the season with a win and continue their reign of basketball dominance.

Boys Hoops:

By The NuMbers

9

Seniors lost

5

Years of varsity experience combined

1

New Coach

Players to watch

2100 VIking fans

Anthony Yu (‘20)

Matthew Marzano (‘20)

Marvin Zou (‘19)

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

players On the to mat Watch:

After having two players move on to states, the wrestling team aims to have yet another successful season under Coach Josh Kessler, a four-year season veteran.

Andrew Wang (‘19) takes his opponent down.Photo by David Hickey

Darya Heydarpour (‘20)

Andrew wang (‘19)

Alexandra Lee (‘20) 20 | V I K I N G M A G A Z I N E |

A

fter going 3-3 last year, placing 15th in CCS and sending two players to state playoffs, the Palo Alto wrestling team is looking to improve on last years results. After losing six wrestlers last year, the team will be lead by Senior Andrew Wang, a state qualifier along with being a two-time team captain and CCS winner. Along with Wang, there are 15 returners on varsity this year.

“Losing senior Calvin Grewal will be a small deficit,” said junior Dara Heydarpour, another varsity returner. “However, I believe we have a great lineup this year.”

“Keep your eye on Dara Heydarpour, Adar Schwarzbach, Halo Lynch, Ashley Wang, Cade Creighton, Tyler Weaver-Escobar, Peter Graham, Zoë Wong-VanHaren, Charlie Williams, and Macguire Ferrell.” said Wang.

4th-year head coach Jon Kessler is optimistic about the coming year. “Our wrestlers understand the term ‘next man up’. Kessler said,“The open-weight classes promotes competition within the wrestling room and that’s how we get better as a whole.”

Along with the offseason and preseason practices, the team has also competed in some preseason tournaments. Heydarpour remarks that the extra practice has payed off.

“People who have come in the offseason and preseason have made major

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strides.”

Even though wrestling is a winter sport, the team has been grinding over the summer and after school in preparation of the coming season.

“We workout in the weight room twice a week with a trainer from Performance Gains,” Coach Kessler said. “We’re working on everything the sport demands: technique, sparring, conditioning, strength training and mental toughness.”

With all the preparation that has been put in, expectations are high for this team.

“My goal is to place at the CIF State Tournament, with number one in mind,” Wang said. “The team goal’s this year is to become SCVAL champions, and send many wrestlers to the Central Coast Section Tournament.”

Coach Kessler continued on this, remarking “this is our best team yet. We’ve been putting in a lot of time during the offseason, so I’m excited to see the team compete. I believe their hard work will pay off.”

Overall, the team believes the sky’s the limit after their offseason work and can’t wait for the season to start. “I am excited to prove myself this year and show that the hard work I put in was worth it” Heydarpour said .

With the season starting on January 3, Paly wrestling will be well equipped to enter another exciting season.

Breaking Barriers

by JOSH LAI, JOEY PASSARELLO, COLE SOTNICK, RYAN STRATHEARN

Most teams at Paly are often composed of a single ethnic background. This causes many minority athletes to feel a sense of exclusion.

How do these athletes break through an underlying barrier of underrepresentation in order to play to their potential?

Photo courtesy of Keith Ferrell

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

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n the first day of lacrosse tryouts, Dylan Duncan (‘20) looks around curiously, his eyes scan the field in attempt to get a feel of the team. He mentally notes the size, skill, and appearance of his future teammates. It is his first year playing this sport, a sport that he is unfamiliar with, a sport that made up of Caucasian males and females, a sport where he is the lone African American on the Paly team. Although the day marks Duncan’s inaugural season, it also displays the lack of diversity in certain sports.

Demographically, lacrosse is largely made up of Caucasian men and women.

According to the Washington Post in 2016, 85.9 percent of men’s and women’s college lacrosse players were Caucasian across the Division I, II and III levels.

In the 2018 season, 18 out of the 20 (90 percent) Paly players on the team were Caucasian, compared to the school’s Caucasian population of 49 percent.

This lack of participation by other races in lacrosse has created, numbers wise, a dominating white presence on the team.

This underrepresentation in sports not only occurs at a school in a small city like Palo Alto; it also happens in many professional sports across America.

According to a 2018 study by Quartz, 70 percent of NFL athletes are African American, 27 percent are Caucasian, and 3 percent are other races. The National Basketball Association has a little more variety but is still vastly similar; 75 percent of NBA players are African American, 19 percent are Caucasian, and the other 6 percent is made up of other races.

Underrepresentation of certain races in sports could be explained by cultural and traditional differences between

different areas around the world.

For example badminton, which originated in South Asia, has been dominated by players from China, India, Korea, and other countries in that particular region. Badminton is more of a tradition in areas of Asia than in South America, where a sport like soccer would control the region.

As a minority on the roster, Duncan might not have been playing lacrosse for Paly if his friends didn’t convince him.

“I was introduced to lax my freshman year by some friends but didn’t start playing until my sophomore year,” Duncan said. “It looked like a really fun sport and I had a lot of friends playing so I figured I’d try it.”

When Duncan first began practicing with the team, he felt like an outlier, but soon adapted to his coaches and teammates.

“It was a little odd and I was nervous because I didn’t know if I would be accepted.” Duncan said. “But growing up and going to schools with little to no black people, you get used to it.”

After the first few games, Duncan was able to reap the benefits from the new sport that he picked up.

“I was excited. It was awesome to play a new sport,” Duncan said. “It was funny to see all the surprised looks on opponents’ faces when I step on the field.”

During this past summer in Oregon, Duncan witnessed a memorable moment when his opponents noticed that he was African American.

“I had taken off my helmet on the sideline and some kids on the other team looked at me like they just saw a ghost,” he said.

“It was hilarious.”

Like Duncan, other athletes experience this same phenomenon, but in many different sports.

Ethan Geller (‘19) has been playing hockey

since he was young. But unlike sports such as soccer or basketball, which require a ball and proper footwear, hockey equipment can cost hundreds of dollars. Hockey’s historic ties to regions of Canada have continuously attracted similar players that share one main thing: their race.

Hockey has been historically comprised of Caucasian players and Caucasian fans. According to a 2013 Nielsen report, 92 percent of athletes in the National Hockey League are Caucasian. Their fans match a similar trend, 92 percent of them being Caucasian.

It was not until 1958 when Willie O’Ree stepped on the ice as the first African-American hockey player. Since that historic moment in the NHL, only 90 players of African-American descent and six of Latin origins have ever played in the NHL. According to the NHL in recent years, the NHL has launched the “Hockey Is For Everyone” campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to strive to make hockey more inclusive.

"It was a little odd and I was nervous because I didn't know if I would be accepted."

- Dylan Duncan

The first black NHL player, Willie O’Ree

According to the NHL website, they say, -“We [the NHL] believe all hockey programs - from professionals to youth organizations - should provide a safe, positive and inclusive environment for players and families regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.”

The movement has created a lot of talk in the hockey community and has trickled down into many local teams and communities. Recently Paly created a club hockey team that includes athletes from Paly and surrounding schools.

Geller, who is of Guatemalan descent, has played on various competitive hockey teams over his youth career.

During these experiences, he has been widely accepted by his teams but has experienced racist remarks when playing

"They would call me a monkey, it was pretty bad."

- Ethan Geller

teams in other areas across California.

“Most of the teams that were chirping that were pretty racist were from Fresno, Santa Rosa, in the middle of nowhere, where they don’t really have other cultures there,” Geller said. “They would call me a monkey, it was pretty bad.”

When a player enters a sport that is not culturally or racially diverse, it can push people away. For athletes such as Geller and Duncan, the idea that a sport is for one particular race has never come across their minds. Although there may be barriers to entry such as money or geographic region, athletes around the world are ignoring these barriers and taking their first steps onto a new field.

Paly vs. Pros A breakdown of professional and Paly sports demogaphics (2018 2018 Paly Boys Varsity

Pro Leagues

The 2018 Varsity Boys Lacrosse Team is consisted of 18 Caucasian and 2 Hispanic athletes.

Photo courtesy of Karen Ambrose Hickey

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

PALY’S GREATEST

PALY’S ATHLETIC PROGRAM HAS SEEN THOUSANDS OF PHENOMENAL ATHLETES, BUT SOME HAVE SET RECORDS THAT HAVE YET TO BE BROKEN.

BY DEXTER GORMLEY, RYAN STANLEY, AND WILL DEANDRE

Y

our vision closes to the finish cords are sure to stand for a long time. line: it’s the only thing you can As with swimming, running isn’t a sport see. The pain that’s been build- for everyone, but in the case of Alicia ing in every muscle in your body Ivanhoe (‘07) and Kathleen Tarlow (‘98), falls away and your mind slows down. it comes naturally. Ivanhoe graduated Left, nobody, right, nobody, in front, a Paly in 2007 but has yet to be knocked line quickly approaching. With every off the top of the leader board for ounce of remaining energy, you the three mile event in cross country. push yourself across the line.

“Running has taught me to cherish the Then, everything floods back, process of working towards a goal and your vision, your heart beating to appreciate any bit of improvement, in your ears, your heavy breathno matter how small,” Ivanhoe said. ing, the sweat, and the cheers “There have been races where I’ve only of your teammates. You look knocked off a second or at the scoreboard and see a best two of my time but time, but something is special even those small about the race you just finished. That improvetime will never be posted by another ments are Viking athlete for the next 20 years. things Paly is a high school with so much atht o letic talent, it’s hard for records to stand for more than a few years at a time. But sometimes, something beyond the reach of a normal human is performed. f e e l For Alex (‘17) and Andrew (‘14) Liang, g o o d a record is nothing new. The brothers about and both swam at Paly and are now swim- it makes you ming at Stanford alongside want “I think being able to Katie Ledecky to get represent Paly with all b a c k and other world-class my buddies was the most to work swimmers. to shave important part” Combined, off more - Alex Liang (‘17) they hold t i m e . ” nine out of E v e n 11 records for the Paly men’s swim more impressive is Tarlow’s team. If you swim, you know their name. record. 20 years ago in 1998, “As far as I can tell, A. Liang she ran an astonishingly fast is the only name on the record time of 17:53 in the women’s board,” Charles Mitz (‘21) said. 5K, and would continue on at However, Alex Liang left high school with Stanford for both their cross more than just five records on the board. country and track teams.

“I think the records are just the cher“I’m proud my record still ries on top of a great high school ca- stands,” Tarlow said. “I reer,” Liang said. “I think being able am amazed I was ever to represent Paly with all my bud- able to run that fast, dies was the most important part.” because the sad Even though the Paly swim program news is I’m not has a lot of talent, the Liang brothers’ re- getting faster as I age. All that be-

ing said, I’d love to see a young Viking demolish that record!”

Her Paly career, along with those of over 12 Olympians, eight professional athletes, hundreds of D1 athletes, and many influential college and professional coaches since 1918, are what put Paly athletics on another level. The camaraderie and Viking spirit that athletes exhibit on every field, court, and track are a core part of being an athlete at Paly.

“Paly cross country and track taught me what it’s like to be on a team where all are welcome,” Tarlow said. “Coach Jones taught me that working hard and having fun can happen together, and that every runner can improve, no matter what level. He helped inspire me to become a teacher and coach. And because fun was always a focus, I still love running and run almost every day.”

With Paly’s otherworldly level of athletic success, it’s hard to stay on the record board as long as Tarlow, Ivanhoe, and the Liangs have, and although their records won’t be there forever, the memories they made and the lessons they learned will be with them for the rest of their lives.

Jamir Shepard (left) broke the record for most receiving to u c h d ow n s during the 2018 season with 19.

Golf

Water polo

mens Team

Ryan Stanley

strokes/ 9 holes

Goals/Season

178

118

2018

2018

Football

Swimming

Cross country

Jackson Chryst

LIV Jenson

Kent Slaney

Touchdowns

50 Freestyle

5K

31

22.39

15:01.50

2018

2008

2016

Andrew Liang (‘15) (above) swims at Stanford and still holds five records at Paly. kathleen tarlow (‘98) (left) still holds the record in the women’s 5k

gh t Fi

Ca t

Photo of Carson Dehorn courtesy of Rob Virk (left) and photo of Seattle Hmelar by David Hickey (right)

The Paly-Gatos rivalry has been one for the ages. Whether on the court or in the stands, the tension between the teams has only grown stronger. But as the clash plays out in various controversial ways, how it all started remains largely a mystery – until now.

by ALANA ABEYTA, ZACH BAUMGARTEN, YAEL SARIG

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T

he buzz of floodlights is barely audible over the screams of the crowd. The stadium is filled with voices clamoring for attention, raspy from having chanted during all of spirit week but desperate to make this night the loudest all year. Despite the noise, the players on the field are as locked-in as ever. Their faces are shielded by their helmets, expressions indiscernible, but their body language says it all: today, the game is about more than just football.

Yes, it’s the homecoming game, but this Friday night is about more than defending our ground. Tonight is a rematch against Los Gatos, the last of which resulted in another loss for Paly on what should have been a celebration of senior pride and school spirit. Gatos dancing away with homecoming victories has become almost a tradition, one the football team is hungry to put an end to.

Tonight, the result will be a hardfought 35-10 victory for Paly. But go back 14 years – or even eight, or four – and the Wildcats had the Vikings’ number.

The Gatos rivalry is widely recognized amongst Palo Alto students, but it is peculiar. Most people have heard the chants of FLG floating through bleachers, the rumors of heated disputes ending in violence or tears, or have experienced the animosity in person as athletes or fans, but the majority of students rooting against Gatos don’t even know why they’re supposed to hate the team.

The origins of the rivalry aren’t clear, but a good place to start is Gunn’s decline. Paly’s old cross-town rival began to fade down the rankings, eventually making its way to a different league in virtually every sport. It was no longer as enjoyable to play against a team that provided less competition, and that’s when Paly’s attention turned to Los Gatos. Similarly, Gatos’ archrival Saratoga worsened over time, turning the Wildcats’ attention towards the Vikings.

“I really don’t think [the Gunn rivalry] went away, I think we just never play them in sports anymore because they aren’t in our league for most sports,” Esme Stotland (‘19) said.

However, the rivalry wouldn’t have been nearly as intense had Gatos not provided stiff competition. The Los Gatos sports program has always been an exceptional one; they’ve often been the standard to beat in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. Their dominance is most well known in football, of course, but it extends to lacrosse, water polo,

basketball, and almost everything in be- some, Paly hit a three point buzzer beattween. er, winning them the second CCS divi“It’s a good competitive rivalry,” for- sion I title of the night. From that moment mer athletic director and physical educa- on, the rivalry between Palo Alto and Los tion teacher Jason Fung said. “It’s great Gatos only grew larger. competition, and that’s why everyone “We see each other as the biggest gets geared up for it. You want to beat threat to each other’s dominance,” Paly Los Gatos.” graduate Nathan Willis (‘18) said.

The competition in football was a parBeyond both schools having competiticular sore spot for a number of years. tive athletic departments, the schools are From 2014 to 2018, the Wildcats beat so similar in terms of community wealth the Vikings four consecutive times. Even and demographics that comparisons bebefore in 2009, they’d beaten Paly eight tween the two are inevitable. When one out of 10 times. At that point if you could school seems to be falling short in one even call it a rivalry, it was certainly en- category, comparisons to the “superior” tirely one-sided. school can abound, In the world of and either break the basketball, the Los spirit of the lesser Gatos rivalry has team or inspire a blossomed within competitive fiercethe last few years. ness to prove the League games doubters wrong. have always been “The girls have competitive, but an understanding in 2017 when that this game is evboth the girls and erything,” basketball boys varsity teams player Grace Thayer faced off against (‘20) said. “You leave the Wildcats in everything you have the Central Coast on the court.”

Section (CCS) fiDemographics nals, the high aside, Gatos games stakes and groware simply ones that ing tension from draw the biggest –Will Schlemmer the back-to-back crowds. Just like the games intensified affectionately nickthe already presnamed “Holy War” (‘18) ent kerfuffle. games between St. “For basketball Francis and Bellarmit was always an ine, not only do Gaexciting game, since we saw each other tos-Paly games have the highest stakes in CCS and in league, but I wouldn’t call it until playoffs, they are games that many a rivalry because we always got the best members of the Paly community look of them in the playoffs,” Paly graduate forward to due to the long history of Will Schlemmer (‘18) said. “We love to dramatic finishes, and an equal amount hate them and there’s no better feeling of tradition as high-level competition. than beating Gatos, especially in front of Athletes and fans alike know to mark the their crowd on their court.” date of Los Gatos matches on their calThe girls teams played first, followed endar – the crowds are the most raucous, by the boys. The first game was intense the players feel they have something to as both the Vikings and the Wildcats left prove, and the environment becomes their blood, sweat and tears out on the electric. court. The score fluctuated throughout “Going to the football games that we the first half, but the Lady Vikes were able play against Los Gatos is really exciting,” to pull through and ended up winning Faisal Ojjeh (‘20) said. “From start to end the game by a score of 52-41. The boys it’s very intense. It’s just great going out game brought competition to a whole there especially when we’re up so I can new level. The entire game was back and cheer on our team against one of our forth, so much so that the game was tied bigger rivals.” down to the last second. Every person Varsity swimmer Tom Galetti (‘20) in the stands was at the edge of their added that the rivalry is natural, and seats not knowing what to expect. Just as stems from the talent both teams have. doubt began to creep into the minds of “Obviously when the two best teams

“We love

to hate them, and there’s no better feeling than beating Gatos, especially in front of their crowd on their court.”

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

in the league go at it, no, you’re not ry off the playing field and into something going to love the other team,” Galetti personal, with barbs exchanged – where said. “Do I hate Gatos? No. Do I not like else – in the realm of social media. At them? Yes. But I have a ton of respect for the game, a member of the Los Gatos them too.” boys lacrosse So while the rival- team heckled “When the ry developed slowly, tormented two best teams in and with dislike growing a member of steadily over the years, the league go at it, the Paly girls once it was there it team from the no, you’re not going stands. The levmade its presence known with a bang. to love the other team. el of hostility Suddenly, the rivalry and malice inwas transforming from Do I hate Gatos? No. Do I volved caused an unspoken entity not like them? Yes. But I the member of lurking under the surthe Paly girls face to a full-blown, have a ton of respect for team to break physical hatred. And down in tears. that hatred, suddenly them too.”

This encountangible and real, manter led to a full ifested itself physically –Tom Galetti scale social metoo. dia battle, with (‘20) An altercation at many Paly stua 2016 girls lacrosse dents targeting game ignited a spark of animosity be- the specific heckler on the Los Gatos boy tween the two sides that carried the rival- lacrosse team. There is no doubt that this

Photos courtesy of Los Gatos High School (left) and David Hickey (right)

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encounter not only heightened the animosity between the two sides but also gave the rivalry a face for Paly students.

The role of social media played a critical part in escalating the tension. In traditional face-to-face rivalries jeering between fans and players alike, as well as close controversial games, keep the mutual dislike afloat. However with the rise of the online world, cruel words are taken from the stadium to the screen, making them all the more impossible to escape. With traditional trash talk, the animosity is reserved to the game, and good sportsmanship and respect returns as soon as the buzzer sounds. But the ever-connected media sphere means the game never ends.

“Social media has definitely made it easier for people to trash talk,” David Hernandez (‘19) said. “Especially because of how you’re anonymous and feel safer knowing you can’t be confronted.”

Despite the physicality the rivalry sometimes finds itself turning to, and riffs between players, most of the life that is

breathed into the rivalry comes from the “Sixth Man”: the fans. The most notorious manifestation is the FLG chants – something that both administrations take issue with.

“The FLG [chant] is completely out of line,” Paly administrator and assistant principal Jerry Berkson said.

Before the first game of the CCS playoffs for football versus Los Gatos, principal Adam Paulson took to Schoology to remind students that the unsportsmanlike behavior would not be tolerated: “I am asking students to please show good sportsmanship in the stands, especially when it comes to our group cheers. Let’s keep them focused on our team and always positive. During our homecoming game, I heard some cheers that were not in good taste and not representative of who we are as a school. Let’s have fun and show our opponents that we are gracious hosts and represent our school and team with pride and class.”

The administration is very much aware of the heated tension between the two teams. So aware, in fact, that Palo Alto and Los Gatos administrators have begun meeting to discuss logistics for reducing the likelihood of player confrontations.

“There are healthy and unhealthy rivalries,” Berkson said. “Currently, we

have an unhealthy rivalry. It’s pretty classless.”

Unsportsmanlike conduct at the homecoming game this year ended up being the straw that broke the camel’s back. Conversations had happened before last year, according to Berkson, but the tension between the schools had become dangerously high since then.

“It’s a crazy atmosphere,” Berkson said. “Two really good teams vying for a championship [is] ripe for this rivalry to grow.”

The solution for now? More authoritative presence at games.

“We said [at the meeting] administrators will be at every Los Gatos-Paly event, and it was definitely necessary to have a conversation because we could be playing them in CCS in the next few weeks.”

Berkson said.

And the ultimate goal of the logistical discussion is simply to limit the opportunities for confrontation. This has, after all, been one of the main roots of physical conflicts.

“There would be less interaction between fans of both sides,” Berkson said.

“We will, at some point, have a joint PalyLos Gatos student meeting with athletes and ASB that’s going to come up.”

But of course, being at Paly, the only perspective the student body has on the

rivalry is internal. We hear stories from our friends, essentially urban legends by the time they reach our ears. They have been convoluted and exaggerated so much they are hardly recognizable. We decide we hate this opposing school, and that they must lose at all costs – they’re collectively violent, rude, and a waste of our energy.

These are all gross oversimplifications, and oftentimes plainly false. Paly most certainly isn’t absolved of all blame in the numerous conflicts that have transpired between the two schools, and Gatos isn’t the purely evil faceless entity we’ve often made them out to be. Just like us, they’re a high school that’s desparate to win, and the few individuals that take the conflict too far shouldn’t represent the entire student body.

Ultimately, rivalries wane and grow depending on the strength of the opposition. No one school can be entirely at fault, or entirely innocent in the matter. But from the bitter inferiority Paly possessed decades ago against Gatos, to the Vikings’ apparent dominance as they enter the CCS playoffs hoping to find glory once again, the development of the feud between the two schools certainly isn’t over. As for where it goes next?

Check back in after the playoffs – either way, you’re guaranteed a good time.

Timeline Girls varsity basketball wins CCS playoffs

Boys varsity basketball wins CCS playoffs

Girls varsity tennis loses 5-2

Paly Gatos

VS.

Girls varsity volleyball dominates 3 sets to 0

2017

2019 Boys varsity waterpolo wins close mach

Girls varsity waterpolo loses 9-6

Photos courtesy of Los Gatos High School (right) and David Hickey (left)

Varsity football wins at home on senior night

The Vikings face the Wildcats in the first round of CCS playoffs

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

BALLPLAYER BRILLIANCE The media bestows a gross misrepresentation upon athletes, creating the false stereotype of them not being intelligent. Some athletes exhibit an alternate form of intelligence, which goes largely unappreciated by society.

by SANAZ EBRAHIMI, TINA LAGERBLAD, CONNER LUSK, JACK SUCH

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J

amir Shepard (‘20) trots out It’s not difficult to imagine. A group of This theme is seen throughout of the huddle to his position tall guys with big biceps and thick necks the pop cultures representation of out wide. His assignment walk down the hallway, wearing varsity athletes. The pressure of fitting into is a post-corner option; a jackets and shoving the more vertically- these set standards of being a jock route where he is tasked challenged kids’ heads into lockers as and constantly maintaining the sense with reading the safety and deciding they carefreely toss a football around of competitiveness and superiority to cut left or right down the field. In the campus, which they act like they amongst peers has a negative influence the seconds he has until the defense own. Any movie or television series with on the jock. This sense of conformity is breaches the protective seal of the athletes, especially high school ones, the main cause of individual jocks to offensive line and forces the ball out of have some version of this stereotypical act out and bully kids; it’s not that they the quarterback’s hand, Shepard must cool teenage jock. Take cult classic personally have anything against these make several reads and Grease, for example. kids, but that they want to maintain their decisions. He bolts from For those unfamiliar aggressiveness that they display on the the line of scrimmage, with the film, it field or court. evading a weak attempt focuses on a high The way that media portrays jocks by the cornerback to jam school love between paints the picture in our head that every him. As he progresses in Danny Zuko and high school athlete is that same internally his route, he recognizes Sandy Dumbrowski. conflicted kid, with the incompetence the Cover 1 scheme the In typical high school to make rational decisions or exhibit defense is employing, athlete fashion, Danny, a personality trait other than rage or meaning man coverage however athletic he arrogance, but in reality this is not the across the board with a may be, is impressively case for the majority of athletes. single safety left to protect stupid, and he and Wilbur J. Bender knows something a deep ball taking the top his gang of fellow about the jock stereotype. A former Dean off of the defense. He sees athletes are portrayed of Admissions at Harvard University, this poor safety leaning as the dumb, chest- Bender was tasked with accepting only towards the outside, and puffing, too cool for the most intelligent students into the makes a gut choice to cut school jocks that set university, in which he had to account -Wilbur J. Bender inside. He made the right the stereotype of the all types of intelligence. “I don’t like the choice. Leaving the safety in his dust, he “dumb jock”. word jock,” Bender said. “It is unfair and explodes into the open space in front of In pop culture, jocks are portrayed as unjustified. It implies thickheadedness him and catches a perfectly lobbed ball being unintelligent, and a segregated for a touchdown. short tempered and group of misfits, and Shepard’s read was nothing short of self centered which improperly labels a lot genius. A combination of a high level leads them to be seen of good people.” of football knowledge and pure gut as the “dumb kids” Although the feeling led to six points for the Vikings. in the school, with stereotype about Shepard’s genius, however, goes largely their sole purpose jocks is that they are unappreciated, like many athletes in of existence being unintelligent, this this respect. Athletic ability, of course, competing in their vague generalization is lauded profusely, but the minds of sports. It’s a common is inaccurate in a athletes fly under the radar. scene to see a big multitude of ways.

Stereotypically, intelligence is crowd of buff jocks Athletes, regardless measured by a combination of your walking down the of how they perform -Anthony Yu (‘20) grades, salary, score on the IQ test; halls, plowing through in the class, exhibit some even factor in social prowess, anything or anyone that intelligence in a way that or being “people smart”, into the gets in their way, showing little respect largely goes underappreciated. The overall intelligence of a person. Not to the people around them, who they media helps advance the false narrative usually factored in is the high level of deem inferior. By beating up random that athletes only care about their intelligence shown on the field, such students who they believe are lesser or respective sports – paying no mind as Shepard’s impeccable reads of incompetent, they assert and maintain to culture or school – rendering them coverages. Why is this? Why does the their rule of the school through the fear stupid. This could not be further from brilliance of athletic IQ get skipped over that they have inflicted throughout the the truth. in assessing someone’s intelligence? student body, with nobody wanting or Take Kayvon Thibodeaux, for The answer starts with pop culture. daring to challenge their authority. example. Thibodeaux is a current senior

“It is unfair and unjustified.

It implies thickheadedness and a segregated group of misfits, and improperly labels a lot of good people.”

“It’s always about basketball.

I’ve got other interests too, but people don’t see it like that.”

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

at Oaks Christian High School in Los Angeles, and according to website 247Sports, is the number one overall recruit in high school football. From a physical perspective, Thibodeaux certainly fits the bill for a stereotypical jock. Six foot two by age 12, Thibodeaux now towers at an intimidating six foot five, 235 pounds. His performance on the field certainly aids the case that jocks only care about sports, as Thibodeaux was a monster in 2017, accumulating an eye-opening 20 sacks in his junior year.

However, his genius doesn’t stop there. Thibodeaux is not just a football player, he is a bookworm, a chess player, and an aspiring lawyer who boasts a 3.8 GPA. He is also keenly aware of the political atmosphere we live in. Before every game, Thibodeaux takes a knee during the national anthem in protest of police brutality towards people of color.

Thibodeaux is aware, however, of the jock stereotype that follows him wherever he goes, which he detailed in an interview with news outlet Bleacher Report.

“I walk into a room, and people are automatically intimidated by me,” Thibodeaux said. “I’m 6’5, but I’m not some kind of monster. I’m not some crazy guy.

I hit people on the football field, but I’m literally just a normal person. But everywhere I go, people just want to talk

about how big I am.”

Paly has their own version of Kayvon Thibodeaux in Anthony Yu (‘20), who has felt similar types of stereotyping. Yu is a bona fide star on the court. An athletic specimen at six foot two and 180 pounds, Yu’s physique certainly caters

“I read it [the NBA referee rule book] to understand where they [the refs] need to be in certain moments of time so if I needed to get away with a foul, I could.”

-Kobe Bryant

to the jock stereotype. Similar to Thibodeaux, Yu notices that the stereotype remains attached to him. “Basketball is a huge part of my life. I’m always in the gym trying to get better, my Instagram posts are my basketball highlights, and I’m always thinking about basketball,” Yu said. “But it’s not my whole life. Anytime someone who I’m not really close to starts a conversation with me, it’s always about basketball. I’ve got other interests

too, but people don’t see it like that.”

The same implied notion that Yu’s basketball career is his whole life doubles as the notion that athletes aren’t smart. The overarching stereotype around dumb jocks revolves around the fact that jocks only care about sports, which isn’t true. And even if it was true, as in some cases, in no way does that make the athlete any less intelligent.

Society, evidenced by the way our educational system is set up, mainly bases intelligence off of “school smartness.”

Some athletes, however, possess an intelligence that goes beyond just school, which helps them outsmart their opponents. This special type of intelligence is referred to as sports IQ, or having a “feel for the game”, and this type of intelligence is rarely acknowledged by our society, even though it is vital for the success of athletes and equally as genius as someone who is a math wizard or a talented writer.

Sports IQ is a more abstract, complex subject than normal IQ. The best definition would be the ability to recognize and anticipate plays, patterns, actions, and situations at game-time speed and use them to heighten the chances of success. Often times in high school, players are able to get by on physicality alone, but smarter players who under-

Grease’s stereotypical jock Danny Zuko(right), outfitted in the customary varsity jacket, chatting with some classmates.

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stand the game better are able to utilize their talent, usually the telltale characteristic that separates the good players from the great players, and the great players from the legends.

One such legend is Kobe Bryant. Bryant is most well known for being an NBA MVP, champion, and 18-time all star, but he also possesses a perfect demonstration of a heightened sports IQ. Bryant explained how he would spend some of the time that he wasn’t on the court reading over the rulebook and finding loopholes in the rules that he could exploit that gave him a significant advantage over his opponents. During one of his appearances on The Jimmy Kimmel Show Bryant said, “I read [the NBA referee rule book] to understand where [the refs] need to be in certain moments of time so if I needed to get away with a foul, I could.” Normally, when thinking of Bryant, one thinks about his raw athletic ability, his killer jumpshot, and his iconic dunks. Bryant, however, is also a player with a vaultingly high sports IQ and feel for the game, which goes predominantly unappreciated.

Although having a high knowledge of the game contributes to having a high sports IQ, anticipation is also needed for players to play the game in a smarter way. When watching some players it seems like they are always in the right place at the right time, intercepting a pass from the opposing team, knowing where the coverage is, or seeing a pass to make to a teammate before the run even happens. This is a prime example of the saying “work smarter not harder”, as the players can exert less energy due to the fact they already know where the ball is going. This allows players to conserve energy for later in the game, a further advantage from having a high sports IQ. A perfect example of an efficient player such as this is none other than hometown star Klay Thompson. Thompson is most well known for his phenomenal accuracy as a shooter, but what goes unnoticed is his incredible anticipation and efficiency in order to be such a high scorer. Thompson’s efficiency prowess is perfectly epitomized by his game against the Milwaukee Bucks on

December 5, 2016. Thompson was only wideout Devonta Smith at the end of on the floor for 29 minutes, far under overtime. What fans may have missed, the league average of 36 minutes for a however, are the scores of complex starter such as Thompson. Thompson reads by both Tagovailoa and Smith that only took 11 dribbles the whole game, went into producing the touchdown. In and was only in contact with the ball for post game interviews, the elated Tagov90 seconds. Logically, not being on the ailoa and Smith explained their thought floor and not touching the ball basical- process during the play. “We called four ly at all is not a recipe for a large out- verticals on that play,” Tagovailoa said. burst of points scored, but Thompson “After the sack, we just got up and took finished the game with a spectacular 60 it to the next play. And throughout that points, a record for a player who did not process, we got the ball. It looked like play 30 minutes. He accomplished his they were running two trap. The corner scoring feat through an incredible dis- trap on that single receiver side, and I play of knowledge of the game rather held the safety in the middle as the over than forcing up inefficient, low-percent- was coming. I looked back out, and he age shots. Sportswriter Bruno Manrique was wide open, Smitty was wide open.” summed up Thompson’s performance Smith opened up on the reads on his perfectly. “He wasn’t demanding the end. “It was Cover 2, so I was really supball at the top of the key and forcing posed to release outside, but the DB an isolation play,” was so far outside Manrique wrote.

I just attacked his “He did the dirty left and slipped work of going behim inside,” Smith tween screens and added. “And then losing his man to when he threw it, get open looks, or I was like, ‘This is catch the ball at a it right here.’” The great spot on the complex reads court to entice a and responses foul.” Thompson’s such as Tagovailoa implementation of holding off the his deep basketsafety with his eyes ball understanding or Smith recogniz-Bruno Manrique is what makes him ing the misplaced able to efficiently and intelligently attack coverage and changing his route achis opponents, leading to success for cordingly perfectly showcase the intelhim and his team. ligence of high IQ players and how it The final attribute that contributes to creates success for their team. players having a high sports IQ is the Those varying attributes constitute ability to pick up on cues of their op- the backbone of what makes some playponent and using these cues to read ers more intelligent on the field than the opponent. From reading the po- others, and doubles as the factor that sitions of defense to find gaps in foot- separates them from the pack of athletes ball, to quickly deciding whether you with normal or low sports IQs. Regardhave enough time to shoot the ball be- less of whether or not athletes succeed fore the defender closes out on you in in the classroom, this side of them, the basketball, the ability to think quickly at one that isn’t appreciated, is a skill that game speed with little hesitations is criti- not a lot of people have that should be cal to an athlete’s success. Many college more widely recognized as a form of infootball fans remember the legendary telligence. It’s unfair, and a furtherment ending to the 2018 College Football of the dumb jock stereotype, to doubt Playoff championship game, which end- someone solely due to their academic ed in Alabama quarterback Tua Tagov- performance or social acceptance while ailoa winning the game on a seemingly completely disregarding their incredible impossible 41-yard touchdown throw to intelligence between the lines.

“He did the dirty work of going between screens and losing his man to get open looks, or catch the ball at a great spot on the court to entice a foul.”

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

Ballplayer Brilliance:

An in depth profile on student-athlete Amelia Gibbs

GIBBS HER ALL FOR THE BALL

by TINA LAGERBLAD

W

hile other high school students are dedicating huge portions of their time studying up for their next big exam, student athletes such as volleyball player Amelia Gibbs (20’) are preparing for yet another crucial match on top of this already significant workload from school.

“Scouting for a big match is like studying for a test,” Gibbs said.

The strategies she uses to prepare for one of these matches are not so different -Amelia from the ways that most students would study for any test.

“We watch film of the other team and take notes on how they run their offense and defense,” Gibbs said. It is a crucial routine that requires much dedication, anticipating the opposing team’s moves and of course, practice.

All of the time spent running drills and plays before a match, along with the inevitable constant influx of work from school, results in Gibbs more often than not having to stay up late into the night

working on schoolwork after coming home from an exhausting practice or workout. This raises the question of why someone would willingly put themselves through this seemingly draining routine.

As it turns out, student athletes who are putting in these grueling hours both on and off the court, are often doing so with the intention of securing their futures, breaking away from the jock stereotype of overlooking school.

“Many high school “jocks” aim to continue their Gibbs (‘20) sport at the collegiate level and because of this they have motivation to get good grades so they can get into their dream school”, Gibbs said. If high school student athletes are serious enough about their respective sports to wish to continue playing them at a higher level, they cannot fall into the line of reinforcing a stereotype, and must instead excel at both their athletics academics.

With so much pressure riding on both their student and athlete identities, it seems like it would be difficult to constantly keep their composure and maintain both worlds. These are moments that Gibbs is not immune to while playing, but it is crucial that she quickly overcomes the mental roadblocks to ensure that her team as a whole does not suffer. “When I feel myself losing composure during a match I focus myself by thinking about why I play volleyball,” Gibbs said.

“I play for my team because I value being part of something that is bigger than myself.” Gibbs said.

She reminds herself that her team is relying on her to do her part, that her teammates will do theirs and ultimately have her back; if everyone does their part and comes together as a team, win or lose, Gibbs will come off the court proud of what her and her hardworking

“I play for my team because I value being part of something that is bigger than myself”

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teammates have accomplished. It is perhaps this level of mental strain and dedication she puts into the sport and team that played a part in Gibbs being awarded the title of MVP (most valuable player) for last year’s volleyball season.

Every match is a series of millisecond decisions that will either lead to the team to victory or failure. So, how are these crucial decisions made?

An essential part of it according to Gibbs is being able to read the game, having a high sports IQ, which is something that you don’t just pick up overnight, it has to be learned through experience over time. “You can plan out a game strategy, but if it’s not working and the other team pick up on it and you have to be able to adapt if you want to win,” Gibbs said. “Changing your play to fit what the team needs from you is essential if you value the team aspect as much as I do”.

However, being able to make these millisecond decisions to switch the strategy in order to stay a step ahead of the opposing team is not the only quality necessary to excel in the exceedingly challenging sport, as middle hitter, it also involves a certain aspect of personal adaptability for Gibbs, “you need to be able to read whether your team needs big hits from you and lots of kills, or if they need you to be consistent and put your hits in the right spots.” The ability to excel at this means that Gibbs has an extremely high sports IQ. It is the team as a whole relying on everyone to have taken the time to study up on the opposition and refined and practiced their plays over and over again, therefore, each move Gibbs makes on the court needs to be carefully calculated in a fraction of a second, utilizing her sports IQ. Taking her mind off of the game for even a moment can have disastrous consequences, which is why Gibbs makes sure to always have her game face and mind on, making her an essential part of the Paly Vikings volleyball team.

Ballplayer Brilliance: An in depth profile on student-athlete Quintin Dwight

PUTTINGINTHE “Q” SPORTS IQ

Q

by SANAZ EBRAHIMI

uintin Dwight(‘20) has been playing lacrosse for almost his entire life. Ranked as the 31st best player in California according to Maxpreps, his experience has certainly aided him in his quest for excellence in between the lines. However, athletic prowess can only take you so far. The primary reason Dwight excels on the field is due to his remarkable intelligence.

As an attacker, it his responsibility to execute perfectly timed set plays in the all important opponent’s third of the field. Dwight cites his composure as the way he’s able to perform his difficult tasks.

“When I am on the field and in a game, I try to focus on my game and my team’s game, and do not let the other team get into my head at all costs,” Dwight said.

“Of course, I want to see the weaknesses and strengths of the other team to best know how to defeat them, but I don’t pay attention to any trash talk that they have.

This would be only detrimental to my performance, as I would not have a clear head to think of the best plays that I can make.”

With his composure established, Dwight is easily able to read the defense and execute to the best of his ability.

Dwight explains his thought process in

“Often times, we have film sessions games through numbers he uses to best after important games to see how to imidentify when to cut.

“Most of knowing where to look and prove, and taking notes, an important cut is based off of what the defense study skill, can be used to analyze what is doing at the time. For example, the areas need work. It helps me organize my thoughts and best time to cut make sure I reis when the demember what I fender is not paysaw in the film lating attention, this er,” Dwight said. is usually when D e s p i t e someone else iniDwight’s laureled tiates a dodge on personal success, the other side of he still exhibits the field,” Dwight the most importsaid. “The best ant aspect of any time to take a shot -Quintin Dwight (‘20) team member: he is when you have makes it about the a good angle and distance with the goal, ideally 45 team.

“I do not think that personal success degrees or more with the goal line and 10 or less yards out, should be looked over,” Dwight said. “It and when you have a lot of is definitely important to make sure that space and time. It is also im- you are improving each day and being portant to not take a shot right the best you can for your team, but the after the defence has just giv- success of the team is definitely more imen the offense the ball, as portant.” they need time to rest for the next defensive shift”.

Dwight’s personal successes on the field go beyond simply knowing when to cut. Dwight has to be able to critically think at the pace of the game. Lacrosse, especially for attackers, runs at an insanely high pace of play, but Dwight’s brain runs at an even faster pace than his legs do.

One mistake in timing could cause his team to lose the ball. Without Dwight’s high sports IQ, he would be at greater risk of doing just that. Fortunately for Dwight, he excels at reading the defense at game speed, which he credits to his time in the film room.

“ It is definitely important to make sure you are improving each day...but the success of the team is definitely more important.”

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

T

Palo Alto

By: LAUREN DANIEL, SUMMER DANIEL and MALLORY KUPPE ucked behind the Magical Bridge Playground is one of Palo Alto’s lesser known gems: the pickleball courts. These courts provide a place for people of all skill levels to come together, enjoy the sport and be around others.

Pickleball is a sort of hybrid sport which is played on a tennis court and is essentially a combination of table tennis, badminton and tennis. The sport has increasingly grown more popular within the Palo Alto community.

There is a Palo Alto Pickleball Club (PAPBC) which has open courts at Mitchell Park every single day. No matter how old or young, anyone can come by and play some pickleball. The courts and time frames are split up for beginners and more advanced players.

A familiar teacher who plays pickleball is Paly’s own P.E. teacher Pete Diepenbrock. Diepenbrock engages in and teaches many sports during his physical education classes at Paly, and he has mastered many sports. He was introduced to pickleball when it was added to the P.E. curriculum, and was immediately intrigued by the sport.

“When I started teaching here in ’97 pickleball was one of our units, and I didn’t really know anything about it and so over the years I’ve played in P.E., but I didn’t really know the game,” Diepenbrock said. “I was just basically playing it like tennis.”

During vacations to Sunriver and Tahoe, Diepenbrock saw pickleball being played. These trips changed

“You could play a game of pickle ball and get beaten and then you talk to that person and they might have the most interesting job in the world” -Cindy Leonard

Diepenbrock’s view of the sport.

Diepenbrock sees pickleball as an extremely fast-growing sport, partly because of the wide range of athletes that can play it.

“I do think it’s a sport that fills a rather large void in elderly people’s lives,” Diepenbrock said. “Normally, when you get older but still want to compete in something, people usually play golf. Other sports are just too taxing on the body: the knees, the ankles, the joints. You can’t really play basketball o n c e you get too old, or soccer- it’s just too hard on the body.”

Many adults today feel that there isn’t enough time in the day to balance their work and family life, let alone adding recreational sports into the mix. Despite a shortage of time, playing sports can yield many physical and psychological benefits. For instance, getting sufficient exercise raises your energy levels, lowers blood pressure and strengthens your bones and muscles.

Psychologically, sports are an extremely effective stress-reliever. Having the opportunity to form a new social group outside of work in a safely competitive and cooperative environment is very healthy, social behavior.

In addition to the exercise and physical activity that pickleball provides, it also provides a very important social

Pickleball aspect as it is played in doubles, according to Diepenbrock.

Diepenbrock also greatly appreciates the drop-in aspect of the club.

“Unlike so many things that you have to do in today’s society as far as forms and insurance and this and that, it’s just very much like old school,” Diepenbrock said. “You can show up and put your paddle down, and just play.”

The Palo Alto pickleball courts attract many different types of people and for all different reasons.

Pickleball newcomer Ali Hoffer started playing when her boyfriend introduced her to the sport.

Now it is something they can do together and at the same time she is able to meet new people and get out in the community. Hoffer is a masters student at Stanford and appreciates the opportunity to leave campus and meet new people.

“I think there’s a lot of value to having this pickleball club in Palo Alto especially as a student who goes to Stanford because the Stanford bubble is very real,” Hoffer said. “Housing, all your classes, a lot of your friends and communities are on campus, and it’s really nice to be able to leave the Stanford bubble and interact with people win the Palo Alto community and really feel a lot more connection to the community. Stanford sometimes can feel like a very isolated entity.”

Recent retiree Amy Lauterbach feels that the sport replaces the social aspect she was missing from her working days.

“I stopped working, so when I retired I lost the automated social life of going to

Palo Alto residents of all ages joined the PA Pickleball Club searching for their next new favorite activity. Instead, they found themselves a community.

work everyday and just having 50 people around that I chatted with,” Lauterbach said. “I would be at home unless I made a plan with a friend and it was like the whole day could go by and I would see nobody but my husband. Here I can come every day and there’s just fun people and everybody plays with everybody and it’s completely welcoming.”

Lauterbach also sees the value of pickleball as a pick-up sport.

“It’s the only pickup sport that I know of other than basketball, I guess maybe volleyball has some pickup but not m u c h .

Tennis is like ‘find four people’ and golf it’s ‘find some people,’ and here it’s just ‘show up’ so it’s the best,” Lauterbach said.

Cindy Leonard appreciates pickleball for its accessibility to all ages and physical abilities.

“Some friend introduced me to pickleball and we’re all in our upper 50s and athletes of sports like volleyball and tennis, which are hard on your knees, so when they introduced this sport that’s easy on your knees and it’s a wiffle ball, it was a natural fit and it’s also very social,” Leonard said.

Like Hoffer and Lauterbach, Leonard believes that the people really make the experience what it is. “[There are] lots of great people and diversity, and you could play a game of pickle ball and get beat and then you talk to that person and they might have the most interesting job in the world, so it’s not just the sport, it’s getting to know all these really great people,” Leonard said.

Off the Court Music

Sports

Publications

Rappers and athletes alike share the same competitive nature to best their craft.

I

by: GERZAIN GUTIERREZ, ZACH PHILLIPS, DANIEL RABELLO, NATHAN SETO

“ been Steph Curry with shot. Been cookin’

why is it that rappers and athletes have with the sauce. Chef Curry with the pop, this distinct relationship? boy” (“0 It might have to 100”, something to do Drake). with the parallels Rap, more within their cathan any othreers.

Athletes er genre of and rappers music, seems alike share the to have an affinsame mindset ity for featuring of competing athletes and the with others world of sports. to get to the Many rappers intetop, but also grate athletic refershowing ences into their lyrrespect to ics, whether it be to those with compliment their an equal favorite athlete or dedication to simply show to and talent love. The relain the game. tionship bePro f e s s i o n tween artists al sports and and athletes rapping are has evolved both cut-throat over the occupations that Photos Courtesy of Linnaea Mallette years, from take total commitN.W.A. ment to achieve displaying success. Seeing Oakland others going Raiders gear through the in their music same process videos to modcreates an atern rappers mosphere of such as Drake admiration, being consistentrecognizing ly spotted on the the fellow sidelines of their rappers favorite teams. So and ath-

“Drake is talking about me in a song. That was incredible.”

-Draymond Green

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letes as future greatness. A part of this recognition comes from the fact that many athletes and rappers have the same rags-to-riches story: coming up with nothing, to doing what they love while flexing stacks. Sharing the same background makes the relationship so much more personal and they congratulate each other for their success, knowing that they had to go through it all to get to the top. Rappers can give respect by incorporating their favorite athletes into their music or by supporting them at their games.

For some athletes, getting a shoutout in a song is consisdered pretty monumental. For Golden State Warriors forward, Draymond Green, he considered it his “I made it” moment.

Although there is a lot of love between these figures, there is the hate as well. Rivalries exist within the games of rapping and professional athletics. Red Socks and Yankees, Lakers and Celtics, Green Bay and Chicago. 2Pac and Biggie, Drake and Pusha T, Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly. The aggressive spirit is only natural within these competitions. Rappers and athletes must outperform their fellow musicians or players to be the best.

Athletes often have physical altercations when they face on on the field with their rivals, whereas rappers drop diss tracks, exposing the other for their past actions or personal problems.

As the friendships between rappers and athletes further develop, we can continue to see various athletic references in songs.

Store

tore

Search Viking

and in the Studio All photos courtesy of Linnaea Mallette

Winning

PLAYLIST

PLAY

Music to win at life

Created by: VIKING MAGAZINE

Bounce Back Big Sean “If I lose one I bounce back like 2-3 did with 4-5”

Following Michael Jordan’s first retirement, he returned to the league sporting #45 instead of his iconic #23.

Fake Love Drake “Just when s**t looked out of reach, I reach back like 1-3” A clear reference of Odell’s famous catch, the ball looked uncatchable and at the last second he reached back and caught it.

Today Was a Good Day Ice Cube “The Lakers beat the Supersonics”

The Lakers (Ice Cube’s home team) beat rival team Supersonics, making it a good day for Ice Cube.

Kyrie Sheck Wes

iSpy Kyle

“Huh, Jayson Tatum, rookie, how I’m ballin’ in the sleeve”

“I’m just like Derozan, if I shoot it it goes in”

Kyle shouts out All-Star Spurs shooting guard Demar DeRozan referencing his dangerous mid range shot.

Sheck Wes, a 20 year old rising star in the rap scene compares his career to Jayson Tatum, a second year star on the Boston Celtics. While Tatum and Wes are the same age, both have had exciting opening

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

Pre-Game PLAYLIST

Get Pumped Up

Created by: VIKING MAGAZINE

Swimming Pools Kendrick Lamar F***in’ Problems A$AP Rocky Back to Back Drake WHO? What? Travis Scott

Mercy Kanye West

First Day Out Tee Grizzley Big Rings Drake & Future

Dreams and Nightmares Meek Mill 0 to 100/The Catch Up Drake Lose Yourself Eminem We Dem Boyz Wiz Khalifa ‘Till I collapse Eminem

Fight Night Migos

SICKO MODE Travis Scott Don’t Like Kanye West Lonely Speaker Knockerz

Forever Drake Fight Night Migos

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Mo Bamba Sheck Wes

www.kitchenbathpaloalto.com

Interested in advertising with

Viking CONTACT: vikingads@gmail.com

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

In its prime at Paly, Powder Puff was one of the most anticipated events of the year. With current student body support, is it time for it to make a glorious return?

by SAM CLEASBY, KEVIN CULLEN, and NICK WELCH

P

aly has had many spirited traditions over the years, many of which have been shut down due to administrative decisions for allegedly failing to serve the Paly community in a way that is appropriate or progressive. One famous example that has sadly been discontinued is Powder Puff, a high school tradition that lasted for decades.

In the past, the tradition has consisted of varsity football players taking on coaching roles for an all-female team to compete in a lunchtime flag-football tournament. The

tournament consisted of four teams from each grade going head-to-head until one reigned victorious. Powder Puff was canceled at Paly four years ago, and since its final showing many students and fans have been anxious for its glorious return.

The tournament provided the school with a spirited event capable of bringing back the high energy and entertainment of spirit week. The majority of schoolwide events are stacked at the beginning of the school year, and Powder Puff is able to add an event occurring later in the year that brings the school together.

Occuring in the spring, Powder Puff reiterates camaraderie among the individual classes, allowing them to work together – whether that be by playing on the same team or cheering for their fellow classmates.

W o m e n who choose to participate in the event have the ability to get closer with fellow students that they might not know very well, which will bring their grade closer together.

“It seems really fun, and a good way to be competitive but also to get to know other girls on the team,” Gigi Tierney (‘19) said.

Several arguments have been made about the banishment of Powder Puff which ultimately caused the tradition to end.

One contribution to the argu-

“I had such a positive experience playing Powder Puff football.”

-Erin Mahoney (‘19)

ment is that the title of the event itself, “Powder Puff”, is sexist, as it originates from the name of a soft pad used to apply makeup, which emphasizes an female stereotype. A possible solution to satisfy both sides of the Powder Puff debate is to simply change the name of the game.

The reference obviously has nothing to do with the actual event, and undermines the legitimacy of athletes participating. To remedy this, we can counter sexism with emPOWERment and change the name to “POWER Puff”. If that isn’t an effective change, then we can go further.

“Power Palooza” would provide an alternative to the use of the word “puff” that still relates to the original problematic name. If the tradition were to be reestablished, the name “Powder Puff” must be changed so that it does not mock female participation in sports. (Throughout the story, this event will still be referred to as Powder Puff to avoid confusion.)

Even though the current name of the event is considerably degrading to women, arguments stating that the event itself is sexist or exclusive are negated by past Paly Powder Puff players. Many past players believe that the event is actually very inclusive and not demeaning toward women.

“I do not feel like anyone was degraded in the Powder Puff game,” former powder puff player Jacey Pederson (‘16) said.

“Sure, it typically is an event split up by gender; however, it never was discriminatory or unfair, and anyone who wanted to participate was allowed to.”

According to current physical education teacher Jason Fung, another contribution to the elimination of the Powder Puff tradition was the physical harm that befell many of the participating athletes

as the games got increasingly more competitive.

“One of the star athletes on the 4x100 relay team got injured in the Powder Puff game right before the CCS tournaments,” Fung said.

If an issue arose from the clash of Paly athletics and the Powder Puff tournament, then an easy solution is to limit the participants of the tournament to only those who are not currently participating in a Paly sport. However, by dedicating themselves to the Powder Puff tradition as well as their respective organized sports, many women expressed that the risk of injury was worth taking anyway in order to partake in one of Paly’s best traditions.

“My two years of participating in Powder Puff were awesome memories,” Pederson said. “I looked forward to it as one of my favorite parts of the year, a close second to spirit week.”

Subsequent to disbanding the Powder Puff games, ASB decided to replace it with a “Viking Best of the Best Sports Fest” which consisted of volleyball, flag football, and ultimate frisbee. The champion

of this multisport tournament was determined through a relay race between the top teams. Fast forward four years to today and the student body has been left with empty promises; the “Viking Best of the Best Sports Fest” has failed to make an appearance since the 2014-2015 school year, and each year school spirit continues to dissipate following spirit week.

Many people still argue that the tradition itself is degrading to women. Although contemporary society typically looks down upon events that divide genders in a way similar to the Powder Puff tournament, this event encourages female participation in a predominantly male sport.

“I think that the Powder Puff event is the opposite of sexist due to the fact that it’s giving girls the opportunity to experience and play a sport that is primarily played by guys,” Katherine Buecheler (‘20) said.

In our local community, schools like Hillsdale High School provide prime ex-

“I do not feel like anyone was degraded in the Powder Puff game.”

-Jacey Pederson (‘16)

amples of a continued Powder Puff tradition that improves school spirit and excels in being a positive community event.

Not only does the game bring added spirit to the school, but additionally they turn the game into a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness. This is something that Paly could easily do in the future if we are given the opportunity to revive the Power Puff tradition.

Along with Hillsdale, many other high schools in our area continue to hold an annual Powder Puff tournament including Archbishop Mitty, Los Altos, and Carlmont. The quarterback for Mitty’s latest senior Powder Puff team had nothing but good things to say about her experience.

“I had such a positive experience playing Powder Puff football,” Erin Mahoney (‘19) said.

Powder Puff is a great opportunity to bring together an entire school, and additionally benefit the larger community.

With transformations like a new name and the added aspect of a fundraiser, Powder Puff could become the spirited event that the student body has been anxiously anticipating.

“I think that in the future if they could incorporate the Powder Puff games it would be a really beneficial event for the school and students,” Pederson said.

“It can be a fun and exciting way for girls and guys to get together and have fun through football.”

-Karina Kadakia (‘20)

“It may have been intimidating to challenge those preconceived notions of who was supposed to do what.”

-Jacey Pederson (‘16) @vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

Viking Tries Dunk Contest Viking tries living life above the rim as some of its premier athletes compete in an intense dunk contest.

We highlight the evolution of dunk contests and our experience trying to replicate their greatness.

by JACKSON CHRYST, JASON SHORIN, WES WALTERS

E

very year basketball players from all levels participate in dunk contests where they display their incredible athleticism, creativity, and originality. A relic of the ABA, the inaugural professional dunk contest occurred in 1976 as the legendary Julius Erving beat out the likes of George Gervin and David Thompson. The NBA also tried to implement a dunk contest during that same season, but they used a slightly different format. The NBA’s dunk contest for the 1976-1977 season was year long and it took place at multiple venues throughout the season. The NBAABA merger would end the dunk contest on the professional levels until 1984, when Larry Nance Sr. won the first dunk contest in the post merger era. In the following years, stars of the NBA such as Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Vince Carter enhanced the popularity of the event with their remarkable displays of athleticism and originality. As the years progressed, the d u n k contests on the collegiate and high school levels became marquee events that fans looked forward to watching, especially the McDonald’s All-American game event. By the 2000s, dunkers started relying on creativity and showmanship. This new focus on props was further showcased by the battles between “Superman” Dwight Howard and “Kryptonite” Nate Robinson.

In the most recent renditions, the emphasis of scoring has been placed pure athleticism as Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon have pushed the dunk contest

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to new heights with their elite jumping champion was whoever earned the highability. est total score.

As the premier athletes of

Collectively we learned the Viking Magazine, we decided to give mental aspect of being in a dunk contest. our best shot at emulating those You can’t always just go into a dunk congreat athletes who compete in test with a plan and execute that plan. dunk contest every year and We were battling through the elements we encourage challengers as the sun scorched our retinas. This elefrom the other Paly publi- ment of blindness added to the difficulty cations. Will Robins, Navid of our dunks as we almost had to comNajmabadi from Campa- plete our dunks off of instinct. We are a nile, and Isabel Hadly from couple of alphas so we fought through C Mag are all welcome to the lack of vision and did not make exget bodied at the rim. If cuses. We also had to adjust when someanyone else is willing body would use a dunk we were thinking to challenge us please about using and find a new dunk on the contact Viking to reserve fly. The biggest takeaway from our expea time to get posterized in Wes’ rience was how psychologically draining backyard. a dunk contest is.

Obviously, our Viking athletes The results of our contest were driven are not on the same level as the by some marquee dunks. Jason started likes of NBA stars and college strong with a smooth between the legs phenoms, so we had to make a slam that earned him a solid 27 from the minor adjustment for our Viking judges. Wes countered Jason’s dunk by dunk contest. We lowered our destroying the rim with a windmill 360 hoop to nine feet, rather than that received a perfect score of 30 from the standard ten foot hoop so the judges. But Wes’ display of power that we could counter- was trumped by Jackson’s final dunk in act our athletic short- which he threw down a majestic under comings and maximize the legs that also received a perfect the creativity and difficulty score and gave him the victory by a one of our dunks. We scored our point margin. dunks on a 1-10 point scale with three judges so the highest possible score for a single dunk was 30. Each contestant, completed one dunk per round and there were four total rounds.

The total score was the sum of the score of each individual round and the Wes, Jason and Jackson after winning a 3v3 basketball tournment

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Jason Shorin

6’1”, 185 LBs, 6’7” Wingspan, Slasher

“My dunks lacked creativity mainly due to my lack of inspiration from other dunkers. By chance, my dunks most resembled those of Donovan Mitchell and the legendary Deangelo Vickers. Suffice to say, it was only enough to get on the podium in this dunk contest. I tried to utilize my athleticism as much as possible in my dunks, but I lacked ball skills as I don’t handle balls as often as my competitors so my skills weren’t on their level. Looking back, I started off pretty strong with my between the legs dunk, but it went down hill after that because I lacked a plan for my secondary dunks. If I were to participate in another dunk contest, I’d try to prepare better both mentally and physically. I’d be in the gym, working on my vertical and in front of the T.V. watching film while looking for inspiration. Although I wasn’t crowned champion, I thoroughly enjoyed riling up ‘Ace the Alpha.’”

Wes walters 6’4”, 265 LBs, 7’3” Wingspan, Point Forward

“My inspiration was Vince Carter, the Smooth Ukrainian, and Dwight Howard. The most legendary dunk contest performance of all time was Vince Carter in 2001. I felt the need to shut the outdoor court down in a similar fashion, my dog “Ace the Alpha” was in awe of how my arm went into the rim. @smooveukraine is an innovator on the professional dunking scene and his signature dunk has never been done in an NBA dunk contest. They have also probably never been done on American soil, so I thought I would do a tribute dunk to the Ukrainian people and give my fellow competitors a red scare. Superman was in the building when I hit the ball off the backboard twice and I destroyed the rim faster than Dwight destroys team chemistry.

Sadly there was some collusion within the referees,including the EIC of Viking who just happens to be dating a certain competitor who won the dunk contest. Hmm. And I lost by 1 point Hmm. Something to think about.”

JAckson Chryst 6’9”, 225 LBs, 7’3” Wingspan, Hybrid Big

“Personally I woke up feeling pretty dangerous so I wanted to invoke the power of Aaron Gordon but at the same time have the same grace as Clyde ‘The Glide’ Drexler. After watching the dunk contest I would always rush to my backyard to attempt the same dunks that players had tried, I feel like that is where I grew a passion for basketball. My mindset was to put on a show for the crowd (Wes’ dog ‘Ace the Alpha’) so I brought out my best bag of tricks. Once I saw hit Wes hit the signature ‘Red Scare’ dunk I knew I had to throw it back to the 2016 Verizon NBA Dunk Contest and try Aaron Gordon signature ‘The Thunder From Down Under’ dunk. After I hit that I knew that I won the contest. I have no comment on the allegations that there was collusion in the dunk contest.” @vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

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Final Word..

In this issue’s Final Word, we acknowledge the G League’s recent offer to allow many of the best high school basketball players to forgo college ball and play in the NBA’s minor league before being drafted into the NBA. We believe this offer will not only ruin college basketball, but will make the entirety of the sport less entertaining for the viewers and less fun for the players.

by Nathan Ellisen and Wes Walters

T

he G league’s $125,000 offer could be the end of men’s college basketball as we know it.

College ball has always included the best young prospects in the country and the world. If many of the top athletes decide money is more important than their education, which many will, the entertainment and elite play in men’s college basketball will never be the same.

The G league announced this offer on October 24, stating they would give

IN CEOS WE TRUST

Wes attempts to offer a top college recruit money to play in the G league, but Nathan calls a foul on the intra-CEO business transaction.

“select contracts” of $125,000 to some of the nations best NBA prospects. Part of the fun and enjoyment of college basketball is the top prospects trying to prove themselves worthy of a high draft pick. Removing them from the NCAA as a whole will lower the overall talent and decrease the attention and significance men’s college basketball has.

Many believe that the G league will become a universal joke similar to the JBA (Lavar Ball’s JBA offered a similar deal a year ago and many players regret joining the league) but the two leagues are very different. The JBA is its own league, while the G league has direct affiliations with the NBA, greatly increasing incentive for young players to take the new offer. In addition, the G league receives more attention from fans than the JBA, also adding to the incentive of a star athlete to choose the G league over the JBA and the NCAA. Some also believe that the loss of top prospects Future top recruits similar to LeBron James won’t hurt NCAA men’s may pass on college all together and begin basketball. However, the dominant freshmen have professional basketball a year earlier. always been a part of

college ball in the one-and done era and can be entertaining to watch. In the past five years, these freshman have not been the winner of the NCAA championship trophy. Teams like Duke and Kentucky have not been as dominant as many think in the past few years, as experienced teams like UNC and VIllanova have been the ones to win the championship.

In the past, the NBA didn’t require any years of college basketball to begin playing in the NBA, and many top players such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant went directly from high school to the league. However, this was before college basektball was truly a place for young players to showcase their skills, and the G league’s offer could revert basketball back to its form before the One-anddone era.

In place of this G league offer, the NCAA should lose their stubborn attitude and pay their players before the G league takes all their talented young athletes. Young star athletes are hard to find yet are desired by all. The NCAA is going to lose these boys to the G league’s offer if they don’t realize what they are losing and don’t pay the players the money they deserve.

@vikingsportsmag | NOVEMBER 2018

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