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on the cover:
50 years ago on June 23, 1972, Title IX prohibited discrimination due to sex. Our cover story, “50 Years of Progress” (Pg 36) discusses Title IX’s role in sports. The cover depicts Rep. Patsy Mink who was a large part in writing and passing the important document. (Cover by Greg Laursen)
LINEUP
Zooms
4
Intro Package
12
Team Chemistry
15
Supplements: Where to Draw the Line
18
The Best of the 2022 Olympics
24
Mrs. E: Not Your Typical Trainer
26
Check Mates
29
Collecting Cards
32
Double Standards
34
50 Years of Progress
36
Viking Tries: Penalty Shots
42
Beats and Cleats
44
Final Word: Collegiate Crossup
47
Senior Andre Hyrkin jogs into the dugout during Paly baseball’s practice. The baseball team is currently first in league. (Photo by Grace Li)
HOLE IN
ONE
On March 9, the Paly men’s golf team lost against Cupertino 213210. “We are trying to improve each week and have the capability to do so,” Kevin Li (‘22) said. Jeremy Yun (‘23) hits the ball.
4 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
Photo by Caleb Wong
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 5
SET Kelly Tanaka (‘25) serves at a scrimmage against Cupertino. “Against an upper league team like Cupertino, Paly did amazing,” Megha Madhabhushi (‘23) said.
6 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
Photo by Grace Li
SERVE The team has won their last three games against Mountain View, Santa Clara, and Homestead.
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 7
Photo by Grace Li
T THE FENCES
The baseball team recently won against Granite Bay 6-0. “It was a great performance all around and we had some great pitching behind us,” Tyler Mostofizadeh (‘23) said. Russ Filter (‘23) prepares to swing.
8 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 9
Viking
Volume XV, Issue 4 April 2022
Editors-in-Chief Hailey Callan, David Gormley Greg Laursen, Madhu Ramkumar
Meet our Staff!
Online Editor in Chief Anika Chang Creative Director Sofia Leva
Multimedia Director Zach Hayward, Jake Foster Social Media Manager Hailey Beck, Emily Neumann Business Manager Parker Bates Photo Editor Grace Li Head Columnist Roei Ziv, Henry Bolte Staff Writers Caleb Wong, Cameron Toland Caroline Mostofizadeh, Elizabeth Fetter Harrison Williams, Ivan Ijzerman Jackson Martin, JJ Stoen Josh Donaker, Oliver Marburg Owen Bittinger, Sebastian Chancellor Sophia Cummings, Josh Butler, Hillary Studdert, Yasmin Friedrichowitz, Trey Collins, Josie Vogel, Grace Gormley, Katie Yen
Viking Magazine Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Follow us @vikingsportsmag or go to vikingsportsmag.com for current game updates/scores. 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 (barring restrictions due to remote learning) by Folger Graphics in Hayward, Calif. Logo Font Courtesy of Måns Grebäck
Letter From the EDITORS Hey Vikings, After a long year of hard work, our time as editors has come to an end. Although this is not the last issue of Viking this year, the fifth and final issue will be run by our talented new leadership team as they prepare for their official debut next school year. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time on Viking, writing stories about important issues and events that we care about, and this issue is no exception. We are super excited and proud to bring this issue’s cover story about the 50th anniversary of Title IX (pg 36). As a sports magazine run predominantly by athletes, we have noticed the discrepancies between genders both on the court and off the court. This is why
we made it our goal as a staff to strive for equal representation in our journalism. Sports were not made only for men, yet sports journalism as a whole still lacks this key understanding. On Viking, we focus on including female representation throughout the entire story process from beginning to end. Although we have come a long way with more female representation in our magazine and in the world of sports in general with laws like Title IX, we understand that there is still a significant amount of work to be done in the future. In addition to the anniversary of Title IX, this issue covers a variety of other great stories. Whether you’re interested in the best moments of the 2022 Olympics (pg 24) or want to learn more about our Hailey Callan
Remembering by HAILEY CALLAN and MADHU RAMKUMAR
In the 15+ years that campus supervisor Ernesto Cruz worked at Paly, he was known on campus as the man on the golf cart, making conversation with every student and teacher he passed by. Many in the Paly community only interacted with him at school, but in reality, his impact on certain members went, and still go, far beyond the campus borders. Cruz died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Saturday March 19, 2022. Kelly Swezey (‘10) first met Cruz in 2006 when she joined the varsity soccer team as a freshman, and instantly felt the support from his coaching style. “You come in as a freshman and it’s really scary, as you’re not sure what’s going on and you lack confidence,” Swezey said. “Ernesto really put me at ease…I knew he cared about my wellbeing, but also my development as a soccer player.” Cruz had no doubt that Swezey’s soccer career would go beyond high school, and she credits Cruz’s coaching to her eventual collegiate career. “He told me as a freshman coming in, ‘Jenks, I believe in you. It’s your time to shine.’” Swezey said. “He just trusted me and he encouraged me.” Inevitably, when she committed to play
David Gormley
athletic trainer, Mrs. E (pg 26), you are bound to find an interesting read within these pages. With that being said, we would like to include a big thank you, to you, our readers. Without you and your constant support, we would not be as motivated to publish the best magazine possible. We would also like to thank the numerous athletes inside and outside of Paly who have allowed us to share their inspiring stories. Learning about your different experiences and being able to share them with a larger audience has been extremely rewarding. As last year’s EICs said, “this may be the last chapter of our time as editors, but it’s the first page in a rocking issue.” Happy reading, and as always, Sko Vikes! Greg Laursen
Madhu Ramkumar
Ernesto Cruz
at the next level, Swezey immediately everybody, all different types of people,” told Cruz. Swezey said. “It wasn’t just a certain type “I accepted a scholarship to play at of student. Everybody was included and Santa Clara University and he was the just treated with kindness and respect. first person I called to share that news,” Regardless of anything else going on in Swezey said. “He was so excited for me your life, you felt valued, you felt listened and always rooting for me… I played to, and you felt respected.” professionally for three years and every Swezey and Cruz kept in touch long time I signed a past the high contract, I always school years, called up Ernesto.” and beyond Swezey eventually the soccer continued her field. Her last soccer journey by conversation managing a soccer with Cruz was training facility and at her wedding coaching young Cruz, Swezey, and her husband Drake at her wedding in just a couple of girls in Denver, September, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Swezey) months ago. Colorado. Cruz remained a model for “He genuinely smiled and looked at what type of leader she wanted to be for me and said, ‘Kelly, I’m just so happy her athletes. about where you’ve ended up,’” Swezey “Part of my personal mission in life now said. “He was a part of my journey up is to care for players as passionately and until this point, and he was just so happy as authentically as Ernesto did,” Swezey to see other people happy. It’s so hard said. “His coaching completely shaped to be that selfless, and he really was that my life, helped me grow, and got me to type of person.” the place that I’m at today. Now I want to As Paly grieves the loss of such an pass that on.” integral part of our community, Cruz will Swezey has no doubt that others were forever be remembered for his kindness impacted by Cruz’s presence on campus towards everyone and uplifting spirit. just as she was. His legacy will continue to be valued “You would see Ernesto chatting with throughout Paly and beyond. @vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 11
Spring sports
Best memories by sophia cummings
dante black ‘22 baseball Chartlotte Hallenback ‘22 Girls track & field “CCS finals of my junior year because it was a chance to get to know my teammates and coaches more”
Evan seki ‘22 Boys lacrosse “Junior lacrosse season when we finally broke the losing streak crushing Belmont”
april wu ‘22 diving “Freshman year at one of the meets where everyone cheered for each other regardless of whether they did an amazing dive or not”
Jimmy miller ‘22 boys track & field “Getting to know all the freshmen, their intuition and passion for running is refreshing everyday”
julia ragno ‘22 girls swimming “The meets last year during covid; it was so bittersweet swimming with all of the seniors one last time”
12 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
“Stealing was always super fun and beating Los Gatos last year”
amanda mershon ‘22 softball “Team bonding when Coach Scott takes us to get milkshakes at Gotts”
thomas rimsa ‘22 boys swimming Thomasyear “Last rimsawhen ‘22 I got to watch my teammates break the Paly boys swimming record in the 200 yard freestyle relay”
Anna nemerov ‘22 girls lacrosse “Scoring a perfect top corner goal against Gatos”
owen rice ‘22 Boys volleyball “After super strenuous practices on hot days the team would hit the pool”
Natalie karel ‘23 competitive cheer ‘21 “Watching ournatalie entirekarel team cheer each other on; being really Competitive cheer
Julián Galindo Macías ‘23 Boys golf “The Cowboy Classic Tournament at Wente. I went my freshman year and it was my first 18 hole tournament”
supportive of one another”
josh kaplan ‘23 boys tennis
Eric fan ‘22 badminton
“Always having a louder team chant than any other team. No matter if we won or lost we were always the stronger team”
“Winning the final match against Milpitas and confetti started falling down on us”
paly gym THEN
‘67
versus
->
NOW
‘22
Take a look at how paly’s athletic home has changed over the years — From the old gym to today’s peery center
Photo courtesy of Clem Wiser
Photo courtesy of Karen Hickey @vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 13
Weight Room Necessities
by SOPHIA CUMMINGS and JOSIE VOGEL
Malia Alvarado Functional outfit AirPods
Knee sleeves
DZ Zhang
Weightlifting belt
Workout tracking app
Lifting straps
Water bottle
Power Bites Recipe Power bites are small, nutrition-packed snacks that give the perfect boost before any activity Instructions Step 1 - Stir your choice of ingredients together in a bowl using a nut butter and honey as a base
Ingredients
(you can pick whatever you would like!)
Vanilla
Peanut Butter Coconut
Chia Seeds
Step 2 - Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours Step 3 - Roll in bite sized balls Step 4 - Enjoy!!
14 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
Chocolate Chips
Nuts
Honey
team
6
2
25
Helium
Mangnete
C He M
Carbon
53
I
Iodine
16
69
86
39
Radon
yldium
S Tm Rn Y
Sulfur
Thulium
by SOFIA LEVA and ROEI ZIV While most of the focus is on talent and physical ability, team chemistry is the aspect of sports that never seems to get enough recognition for its influence.
- Do minic De o (‘22) Fe than talent — and team chemistry might just be the most unheralded component of the equation. When a star player joins an already
ickey
the NBA’s most trustworthy insiders, the players speak badly about each other behind their backs, and have constant and significant altercations in the locker room. It is fairly normal for teams to have issues in the locker room, behind closed doors, but what is especially extraordinary about this Lakers team is that they project this lack of chemistry to
sy of Karen H
“We’re all friends outside of baseball so it’s a lot of fun getting to spend time with some of my best friends on the field.”
established and successful team, such as when Russell Westbrook joined the Los Angeles Lakers this last summer, teaming up with All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis to form a “Big 3,” there is always the expectation that the team will win a championship. But what many don’t take into consideration is everything apart from the playing itself that the team has to deal with. At the end of the day, professional athletes are people. They have conflicts, fights, and egos, so in many cases, pure talent simply isn’t enough to win. The 2021-22 Lakers are a perfect example of a team with all talent and no team chemistry. Despite having two MVP’s and another top five player in the entire league, the Lakers are set to miss the playoffs, a situation nobody saw them in before the season started. At first, many people thought it was a performance slump, but upon closer inspection, it is apparent that what is lacking in the Los Angeles locker room is team chemistry. With reports from
Photo courte
S
ports, though they often seem so simple, are extremely complex. If they were as easy as, “have a good team with good players and you’ll win a championship,” then the Kansas City Chiefs would win the Super Bowl every year, the United States Women’s National Team would never lose a game, and pretty much every Golden State Warriors team in the past five years should have swept every series in the playoffs. In reality, it is obvious that sports run deeper
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 15
“there were a lot of bonds between teammates but I think there was also a lot of tension as well” - julia ragno (‘22) anybody watching their games. When an incredible play happens, nobody is excited for their teammates, and there is little to no interaction between the players at all. It’s almost as if they don’t want to be there. But team chemistry doesn’t have to be the downfall of sports teams. In fact, it can be the exact opposite. An example of a team that takes pride in the connection and bonds between the players is not in the WNBA, MLB, professional soccer, or any professional sports team for a matter of fact. To find an example of a team that shows what it means to have amazing chemistry, look no further than the Paly Baseball team. “Our team feels like a big family,” senior Dominic Defeo said. “We’re all friends outside of baseball so it’s a lot of fun getting to spend time with some of my best friends on the field.” Despite having an incredible amount of talent on the baseball team, what really stands out about them is the bond between all of the players. In the halls, at lunch, and even in the classroom, it doesn’t take much time at Paly to understand that the baseball players just love being Photo courtesy of Karen Hickey around each other. It has inevitably led to the success
of the team in recent years and the development of many of the players. According to Defeo, it comes down to the feeling of belonging for the players. “Having the type of bond that our team has allows us to really trust each other,” Defeo said. “We can always count on someone to pick us up.” Over the years, we as sports fans have learned how valuable and special that quality is to have in a team. Players have bad games; that is normal. But when they have their teammates to offer them support when they’re down only makes the bounce-back that much quicker and significant. It is anything but easy to develop this type of team chemistry. Doing so requires a lot of commitment to the cause and time invested into the team and the relationships that are built. “We try to spend a lot of time together off the field,” Defeo said. “We have team dinners every week and hang out together all the time.” Despite this inspiring case of team chemistry right here on campus, Paly teams are not immune to toxicity within their locker room. Some players from the girls water polo team don’t have quite the same experience as those on the baseball team. One of the teams that was pointed out as a strong team to look out for before this school year was the girls water polo team. With a strong core group of seniors that have been playing all four
“I think there were a lot of bonds between teammates but I think there was also a lot of tension as well,” Ragno said. “It can be hard to deal with conflicts in a healthy manner due to the fact that everyone has their own opinions, but overall I think conflicts were able to be resolved in a healthy manner as long as everyone saw their mistakes and learned from them.” The reason why so many people overlook team chemistry is because they think it might not affect what happens on the court or field or in this case, in the pool. “It just seemed like everyone was kind of competing against each other, instead of against the other schools,” Kumar said. Ragno continued to build on this reflection of the girls water polo team. “I think the main factor that stopped us from exceeding our potential during games was again the lack of cohesion between players in the water,” she said. “I think a lot of the time girls will dwell on a mistake that just happened instead of pushing that aside and continuing to play hard.” An added dimension to playing sports within times of COVID is that there are less team-building opportunities. This played a key role in the lack of team chemistry, according to Ragno and Kumar. “We honestly didn’t have many team bonding events as I would have liked, and I honestly really regret that,” Ragno said. “There were a lot more sophomores than in previous years which made it a bit harder to create a super tight knit team due to the fact that a lot of us didn’t know each other coming into the season.” To Kumar, the lack of team bonding was apparent. “From this past year, we didn’t seem to have many team parties/bonding like we did [in past years],” she said. “Getting to know each other outside of that competitive atmosphere would have helped us a lot.” Not every team has to be made up of a group of people that really enjoy
“Getting to know each other outside of that competitive atmosphere would have helped us a lot.”
Photo courtesy of Aanya Kumar years at Paly, and an influx of fresh talent from the lower grades, the team was primed for a great season. However, according to senior Aanya Kumar, despite all of this, the team never reached its full potential. She states that this, at least in part, can be attributed to the team lacking proper chemistry. Every team has their challenges, but what matters most is how they deal with them. But according to Kumar, there was little problem solving being done. “I don’t think we actually really dealt with [the problems that arose] that much,” she said. “I think that’s why we’d have some problems as a team and I think that kind of affected us playing as well.” Her team captain, senior Julia Ragno, agrees with this assessment of the team.
-Aan ya Kumar (‘22) each other as human beings, but the general idea is that a sense of respect between teammates is crucial. A perfect example of this is Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, who despised each other, but had a mutual respect for one another at the same time, and ended up winning a championship. At the end of the day, it comes down to which team wants to win more. That team is usually made up of players that are willing to sacrifice personal benefit for the greater good of the team. Kumar points out the lack of this type of attitude within her former team. “I think it’s really everyone kind of wanting each other to succeed and once you want each other to succeed, the whole team succeeds,” she said. “I felt like that didn’t always happen.” Regardless of whether a team is the most talented in the league on paper, or if they are expected to finish dead last in their respective competitions, team chemistry makes an immense difference in the outcomes of the team’s season. Team chemistry can be the boost to propel teams to success, or the poison that brings the demise of entire seasons. Although largely overlooked, the impact of team chemistry on overall performance and results can be the difference between a championship and an early trip back home.
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 17
art by ALEX YAN
Where to Draw the
LINE An exploration of sport supplements and the controversies surrounding them.
by PARKER BATES, OWEN BITTINGER, ELIZABETH FETTER, and IVAN IJZERMAN 18 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
F
rom powders to pills, performanceenhancing substances range from basic supplements (like vitamins or protein) to partiallylegal supplements used among the Paly athletic community (like creatine and Caffeine) to illegal drugs like steroids or human growth hormones (HGH). In recent years, the discussion surrounding the legality and ethicality of supplements has become more prominent, amid Olympic controversy and the discussion surrounding transgender athletes. The question of where to draw the line when it comes to supplements has become increasingly important. Current regulation around supplement use is, to say the least, incredibly complicated. Various groups have different rules, but the bylaws of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are typically seen as the most strict, and a good starting point for other groups. Currently, the IOC prohibits the use of any type of sports supplement during the games, including seemingly benign ones like caffeine, creatine, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). The banning of creatine is an especially controversial point, as its use is incredibly popular, even here at Paly. Creatine is a naturally occurring chemical used to increase an i n d i v i d u a l ’s maximum power and aerobic range. The substance was deemed safe for shortterm usage, but the lack of long-term data raises questions regarding the use of creatine for extended periods, which is why the IOC decided to ban its use. Paly students reflect on their creatine use, especially the looming question of its safety. “I think that taking [creatine] is a very low risk and that it’s not going to have longlasting effects, especially because it’s a naturally occurring substance in different types of meats and other proteins,” junior Max Schrage said. “There have been a lot
of studies on it, just not necessarily longterm, because it’s something that’s been kind of recently put into the spotlight. There haven’t really been any negative effects surrounding it.” Schrage, who feels that the naturallyoccurring creatine is safe enough, has been taking it for five months. He also notes only positive effects after starting on creatine, seeing an increase in both strength and appearance. Once Schrage started creatine and coupled it with consistent training, he felt more physically strong. “I’m really proud of myself for the changes I see in the gym, and I feel that creatine really sped up the whole process,” Schrage said. The use of supplements is also seen in the higher level of sports. Olympic ski racer Rodolfo “Rudy” Dickson uses naturally occurring substances to stay in shape all year round. Dickson is a professional ski racer for the Mexican Olympic team and has competed in both the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and the more recent 2022 Beijing Olympics. He emphasizes the importance of researching the effects of the supplements he uses. This includes finding more information about the substance and performing trial and error of use. “A little bit of research does help, so I go online like I’m sure everyone does that to an extent,” Dickson said. “You got to try it for a bit as well. If you take a pre-workout, for example, like caffeine and you don’t feel good, you stop taking it, pretty simple.” The most influential supplement Dickson takes is caffeine, which he takes as part of his pre-workout, and is especially important before his first and second run. Caffeine acts as a stimulant that will help engage the body, so Dickson takes it to boost both his physical and mental ability preceding a ski run. He gets his caffeine from his pre-
“I think that taking [creatine] is a very low risk ... because it’s ... naturally occurring.” - Max Schrage (‘23)
workout because coffee provides an inconsistent amount of caffeine wherein with one scoop of pre-workout he can know exactly how much caffeine he is taking. Creatine is a big part of Dickson’s preworkout, which he uses almost every day before weight training or before he goes out on the slopes. However, Dickson does not think supplements like creatine are needed to succeed in ski racing. “[Creatine] does help to a certain percent, but is it super measurable? Not really, maybe on paper, but I can’t see any difference in the short term,” Dickson said. Because ski racing is not solely strengthbased, other factors are more influential in being an all-around good racer. Creatine’s main effect is to retain water in muscles, and although it does elevate your strength and recovery, in a sport like ski racing that relies more heavily on technique and mental strength creatine is less of a prominent component than it would be in a sport such as weightlifting. This is also why you rarely see alpine ski racers faced with doping scandals at the professional level. There is less of a need to take illegal substances to get an edge on your opponents, as it wouldn’t give you that much of a benefit over your @vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 19
competitors. “I think you can do it without it,” Dickson said. “It’s better to have a better-rounded out meal plan and good workouts.” On the other hand, in sports where strength is more of an aspect when competing at a high level, some athletes will go so far as to take illegal substances to enhance their performance. To combat the athletes’ malicious actions, the IOC has implemented guidelines that disallow its competitors to take PEDs. These guidelines follow those created by World Anti-Doping Administration (WADA), which is a standard across many sports events. “They don’t tell you what you’re allowed or what you are not allowed to take, you have to do it yourself,” Dickson said. “First, I would have to take my supplements, look at everything in the nutrition tab, and then go onto WADA and check if they are eligible. They don’t give you a list, everything is through WADA, so you do it yourself and if you
get caught, it’s your fault.” Although these guidelines are rigorous, they are sometimes e a s i l y bypassed by athletes, giving them an advantage over their competition, something that the IOC and WADA hope to eliminate in future events. “Athletes will take illegal PEDs before the Olympics because at the Olympics you don’t have a certain time when they test you, so you can’t time it too well,” Dickson said. “If you’re doing
20 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
it before you go to the World Cup or Olympic scene, they can’t catch you. That’s one of the more unfair things about the whole side of sports.” T h e Olympics can only test athletes while they are at the games, so athletes do have the ability to take any performanceenhancing drugs before the games that will not be present in their system during the games. There was a difference between the regulations at the 2018 PyeongChang
“Everyone has the right to declare their own gender identity, but no one has the special right to be included in whichever division they want in sports.” -Anonymous Paly student
and Beijing Olympics. “I think more people were tested for drugs this time,” Dickson said. “I kept hearing someone got tested, someone got tested. They were definitely more strict in China when it came to testing athletes for PEDs than in Korea.” Although on the surface it seems the legality of supplements and PEDs in higher ranking competitions like the Olympics are fairly straightforward – that the IOC should test everyone and those who test positive should face consequences – it’s not always that simple. The most recent case, of Kamila Valieva, a 15-year-old figure skating sensation from Russia depicts these complexities. She failed the initial drug test administered at the 2022 games, testing positive for banned drugs. Trimetazidine, the drug found in Valieva, is used to treat angina — a chest pain that can be symptomatic of heart attacks but can help performance by improving oxygen flow and blood circulation. Her team, the Russian Olympic Committee, appealed to a third-party arbitration group, which cleared Valieva from any culpability, reasoning that the positive test was possibly caused by contamination from her grandfather’s medication. In a statement, The Olympic and Paralympic committee expressed their profound disappointment with the message this allowance sent. “Athletes have a right to know they are competing on a level playing field,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, today that right is being denied. This appears to be another chapter in the systemic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia.” This “pervasive disregard” and allusion to “another chapter” refer to the 2018 systemic, underground Russian violation of doping rules. This scandal involved numerous athletes who, sometimes against their will, were encouraged or forced to take illegal, performanceenhancing drugs (PEDs). Russia was banned from competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics and was stripped of over 46 medals. Both Russian conflicts reveal the complex tensions surrounding the legality and morality of doping. Taking PEDs will give athletes an advantage
over other athletes, but it usually isn’t as black and white as banning an athlete that uses them and allowing athletes that do not. As a 2018 article in the Journal of Legal Medicine explains, sports supplements in the United States are not subject to pre-market restrictions, like other foods regulated by the FDA, and can be sold without any safety or effectiveness tests, meaning athletes may not know what they are putting in their body. This means that substances that are approved by the IOC like iron, vitamins, or protein, can be laced with illegal, chemical steroids. This means it is difficult to put a strict blanket punishment on positive tests, as they may happen accidentally. A prominent example is the case of Flavia Oliviera, a Brazilian cyclist. After testing positive for the illegal drug oxilofrine, she sued an American manufacturer for putting it in supplement powder without listing it on the label. Fortunately, her ban was overruled, but Dickson agrees that cases like this show the complexity
“
of punishments. “Immediately [when I hear about a positive test] I’m like, lifetime ban, lifetime ban,” Dickson said. “But some people accidentally test positive and I can’t imagine the devastation [of that ban]; it would be heartbreaking.” On the other hand, this lack of manufacturer accountability creates loopholes for athletes to abuse: athletes who test positive for illegal supplements can argue that it was from “crosscontamination” and “lacing” of their legal ones. Essentially, they can use the lack of FDA regulation as a scapegoat. Paly athlete Evie Kramer (‘23) acknowledges the difficulties that surround doping decisions. “It’s way more nuanced than people think: sometimes athletes are forced or cajoled into taking these substances, and sometimes they are administered without the athlete knowing,” Kramer said. “Then, you have the idea that this third-party committee that is unconnected to the Olympic committee has to arbitrate and
We need to have clearer rules and athletes need to be educated on the health drawbacks of [illegal] drugs and why — morally, ethically, and logically — we should not be taking them.” - Evie Kramer (‘23) @vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 21
make a decision that will not only affect future precedent but also the emotions and sensitivities of the athlete, and the potential medaling of a country during the games.” In addition to the complexities that exist with the current regulations, arbitration, testing, and banning, there are even more layers of difficulty that arise. Most prominent is where to draw the line between legal and illegal substances. This ongoing debate was highlighted by the suspension of American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, for her use of CBD (marijuana) — a substance recognized by WADA as illegal in competition because of its muscle-relaxing potential. “I don’t really know the absolute specifics of the recent situation but I definitely think that the decisions surrounding Sha’Carri were unfair, especially considering that marijuana isn’t really a performance-enhancing drug,” Schrage said. Schrage, along with a slew of public critics of the WADA decision, does not believe CBD should be illegal. Recently it has become increasingly common for athletes, coaches, and the general public to question the somewhat arbitrary line between legal and illegal substances. At Paly, many recognize how blurred it truly is. “The biggest thing that we need is transparency,” Kramer said. “PED regulation is so complicated because different drugs need to be regulated differently, but even the idea that some
From a survey conducted online
drugs are allowed while others are banned is hard to grasp. We need to have clearer rules and athletes need to be educated on the health drawbacks of [illegal] drugs and why — morally, ethically, and logically — we should not be taking them.” Kramer thinks transparency about current regulation and education around the health drawbacks of some substances are the keys to leveling the playing field and minimizing abuse of substances. Others, however, argue for a different approach to improving the current situation. They suggest we legalize all drugs but impose limits to ensure a lack of abuse, and note that, hopefully, this increased regulation will decrease the amount of illicit drugs sold. “When these drugs are sold illegally on the black market the doses become higher than what would be prescribed by a doctor or available at pharmacies,” Schrage said. “If they were legalized, it would be a lot better because then [authorities and doctors] could regulate doses [and] protect the safety of the athletes.” However, advocates of education around drugs, and continued illegalization, like Kramer, see potential
drawbacks and loopholes that can be abused if this plan is implemented. “If we legalize all PEDs, even with restrictions, I worry that their use would increase dramatically,” Kramer said. “And the truth is, we don’t really know what these are doing to people’s bodies.” S c h r a g e , however, argues that the safety and regulation of doses will prevent this. Additionally, he doesn’t foresee a dramatic increase in PED use if they are legalized. “I think the rate of people that would start taking PEDs will not be significant compared to the amount of regulation that could be put in place for safety,” Schrage said. “Many people that would think about taking them are already taking them…people are not going to start taking PEDs just because it is legalized.” In addition to the debate over the health concern/PED regulation dichotomy, there are also equity issues that arise with concern to PED legalization. “These drugs can be expensive,”
Supplements at Paly
19%
20%
61%
of Paly Athletes use supplements frequently
of Paly Athletes use supplements periodically
of Paly Athletes do not use sport supplements
22 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
Kramer said. “And if insurance doesn’t cover it, it wouldn’t be fair if some, because of their affluence, can have nearly unlimited access to them. It would elevate the playing field in an unfair way — one that skews toward wealth as opposed to athletic ability.” As seen by the Olympic controversies and ongoing debate among students, the line of morals, ethics, and legality surrounding PEDs is a fine one. And now, with the increasing number of athletes coming out as transgender, this discussion around steroids and hormone therapy becomes increasingly political, and even more charged. A current example of this is the transgender female swimmer Lia Thomas. She began her transition in 2019 and switched from University of Pennsylvania’s men’s team, to the women’s team shortly after. After taking a year of hormone-suppressants, Thomas is currently eligible to compete as a woman — although critics claim her testosterone levels are still far above those of a cisgender women. Under current regulations, testosterone is a banned substance in most sports, and those who advocate against transgender athletes competing in a division other than their socially assigned gender argue that by allowing t r a n s women to compete, it undermines the integrity of sports. “ I t ’ s inherently unfair for biological males to compete in women’s divisions, regardless of their gender identity or whatever other beliefs or positions they hold — sports is such a physical thing that the different biological makeup makes a difference,” an anonymous Paly student said. “Everyone has the right to declare their own gender identity, but no one has the special right to be included in whichever division they want in sports, which are divided based on gender biology.” People like this student worry that a transgender woman who goes through puberty as a male but transitions later will
Photo courtesy of Rudy Dickson have the higher bone density, elevated muscle development, and faster reflexes that come with the Y chromosome — even if they end up taking hormonesuppressants. The student noted that Thomas winning all her events by a significant margin at the recent Ivy League Championships does not help dissuade these concerns. On the other hand, advocates for transgender rights argue that by not a l l o w i n g transgender athletes, like Thomas, to compete with their identified gender, or banning them from competition altogether, society is continuing the pervasive discrimination of LGBTQ+ groups and encouraging transphobia. “Not allowing transgender athletes to compete in their identifying gender is harmful to their mental health because it can contribute to their gender dysphoria,” junior Ryan Hudacek said. “We should let them compete.” Organizations like WADA, the NCAA, and the IOC are struggling, like many, to discern the line between legal and illegal substances, and weigh the ethical,
“I can’t imagine the devastation [of a ban]; it would be heartbreaking.” - Rudy Dickson
moral, political, and legal conflicts surrounding them, including regulation for transgender athletes. As much as possible, these organizations try to take everything on a case-by-case basis and follow their protocol. But, many, at Paly and otherwise, feel that their protocol is exactly what needs to change. The outdated protocol allows abuse of the system and undermines the level playing field that sport should be. And now, with the increasingly important question of transgender rights and how that will affect doping/PED regulations, more and more people are starting to acknowledge that something needs to change. “People’s work should determine the outcome of a competition, not their biology,” the source said. “Right now the regulation is outdated and things need to change.” The most important part of the discussion about where to draw the line with these drugs is to remember that we are all athletes, and we all want to compete. All we want is to feel the nerves before a game, race, or match. All we want is to feel sweat drip down, feel the rackets swish in our hands, feel our feet pound on the ground, feel the air burn in our lungs. All we want is to be seen as athletes. To be seen as people. And, most importantly, to be seen as ourselves.
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 23
The
BEST 2022 Of THE
OLYMPICS www
On Day 14 in Beijing, Eileen
Gu became the first athlete
to win three medals in three different freestyle skiing events at a single Olympics. An American-born freestyle skier competing for China, Gu won gold in both the half-pipe and big air as well as silver in slopestyle.
Ayumu Hirano is a 23
year-old Japanese threetime Olympic medalist snowboarder and Olympic skateboarder. Hirano made history for Japan when he won the country’s first Olympic snowboarding half-pipe gold medal. Hirano’s triple cork 1440 was the first landed in Olympic history.
An Americanborn five-time Olympian and three time Olympic gold medalist in the snowboard
half-pipe,
Shaun White
is arguably the most famous snowboarder of all time. White holds the record for the most X-games gold medals and the most Olympic gold medals by a snowboarder. Sadly, White made his final run this year and went home without medal from his last Winter Olympics. 24 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
a
by CAROLINE MOSTOFIZADEH and EMILY NEUMANN art by SOFIA LEVA, YASMIN FRIEDRICHOWITZ, and GREG LAURSEN
Erin Jackson, an American speed skater, became the first Black woman to win gold in an individual sport in Olympic History. Jackson stood at the top of the podium after winning the Women’s 500m speed skating event. In an incredible turn of events, Jackson was granted to compete on Team USA after her teammate gave up her place in the 500m skate when Jackson fell in the US trials.
After becoming the youngest woman to ever win an Olympic gold snowboarding medal at the age of 17, Chloe
Kim returned four
years later ready to defend her title in 2022. This year, her outstanding performance led to yet another gold, making her the first in the women’s half-pipe to take home multiple, and consecutive, gold medals.
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 25
Mrs. E: Not Your Typical Trainer by ANIKA CHANG, HILLARY STUDDERT and CAMERON TOLAND
Athletic Trainer Justine Iongi — known to students and coaches as “Mrs. E”— plays an integral role is the lives of Paly Student Athletes from the moment they first step on the field.
Photo by Hillary Studdert
Iongi started her athletic training career at San Diego State University. As a student, Iongi had expressed interest in sports medicine and as a part of getting her degree she was required to take an intro to kinesiology course. Her original interest was vested in physical therapy and rehabilitation, but as the class progressed and she was exposed to more handsJustine Iongi on, front-line experience, Iongi’s passion shifted toward becoming an athletic trainer. “You see it firsthand who gets involved, you’re on the sideline, you triage, you’re first on the field so that was something I wanted to do more,” Iongi said. Her experience at San Diego State is what led her to first fall in love with athletic training, and after getting both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Iongi continued to work in Division 1 and Division 3 level athletics as well as for
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“
various club teams. Since then, Iongi has worked as Paly’s full-time athletic trainer since 2015 and hasn’t looked back. The diversity of the job keeps Iongi on her feet, and is an aspect of her job that she enjoys and feels can be lacking in other fields. From volleyball to wrestling, not only are the sports themselves diverse, but some days Iongi does administrative work and if she finds herself tired from being inside, she’ll walk around and check on the athletic practices. Iongi enjoys how her hours deviate from a typical nine to five job with her typical workday beginning towards the end of the school day and ending late into the night as she tends to athletes and before, during, and after their practices and games. Due to her unusual hours spent as Paly’s athletic trainer, Iongi, a mother of three children, has learned
You see it firsthand who gets involved, you’re on the sideline, you triage, you’re first on the field so [athletic training] was something I wanted to do more.
“
K
nown across Paly’s campus as Mrs. E, athletic trainer Justine Iongi has made a long-lasting impact on Paly’s athletic community due to the meaningful relationships she has built with students and the commitment and love she shows towards athletic training. Students from all sports and grade levels have benefited from the warm and welcoming environment of her office and ultimately Iongi has left her mark at Paly, on both athletes and students working side by side with her.
Photo by Hillary Studdert
to balance her home life with her work life. Her unique hours allow her to spend time with her kids in the morning before she comes into work, although she often faces challenges working late nights as Paly’s only full-time athletic trainer. “I get to take my son to school, and if I need to, pick him up, ” Iongi said. Because it is an after-school program, athletics is often a very familyfriendly area and Iongi often brings her kids into work with her, allowing them to both spend time with her and athletes in her office. Justine Iongi “It’s fun to take the kids, Iongi said. “There’s always a high school kid who wants to play with my kids.” In the end, being the sole athletic trainer for thousands of athletes has proved to be a struggle for Iongi to give everyone the time they need, and she relies greatly on support from her husband. “It’s hard,” Iongi said. “I am the only athletic trainer and I oversee over 1000 athletes in all three seasons. There’s one of me. [Athletes have] seen firsthand that it gets crazy. It could be like an hour before somebody gets to really talk to me and they have to wait for my attention, but there’s a balance.” Because Iongi often works right alongside athletes on their journey to recovery, whether it is shin splints or an ACL tear, her work with her athletes manifests right before her as she sees athletes get past their injuries and continue to thrive again, not just in their sport but in their everyday lives. In addition to helping student-athletes physically, Iongi has fostered strong social and mentor-like connections over her time at Paly. Helping some athletes with various injuries all the way from the beginning of freshman year to senior year, she develops a special relationship with these athletes, unlike any other Paly staff member. Iongi considers this to be one of her favorite parts of her job. “I get to meet and see how [my athletes] change and how [they] grow,” Iongi said.
“
“If I work with you for a specific injury and see you get past that, it’s fun to see you actually excel knowing that you did everything.” This has been the case for senior two-sport varsity athlete, Danny Peters. Peters, the starting quarterback for Paly’s football team and a pitcher and third baseman for the baseball team, Justine Iongi (right) and Isyss Grant (left) outside the athletic complex see the current student athletic trainer, has had his fair share of injuries over his time at junior Isyss Grant. Grant has dedicated Paly, making him a frequent visitor numerous hours of time and service each week, exploring her passion for sports of Iongi’s office. “Every year I have gotten closer medicine by helping Iongi treat athletes. and closer with her,” Peters said. The time spent with Iongi has allowed “Over four years I would consider Grant to build a close-knit relationship her one of the most supportive with her and ultimately forged a longlasting bond. people in my life.” Part of what makes Peters’ relationship with Iongi special is her devotion to help students with challenges beyond physical injuries. When Peters struggled ISYSS GRANT with anxiety on the field, Iongi was able to help him work through them and be the best version of himself. Aside from connections built with injured athletes, Iongi provides a unique DANNY PETERS opportunity for some Paly students who are interested in the field of sports medicine, allowing them to volunteer and work with her during the week and to witness the front-line efforts she makes for Paly Sports Teams. This year, when you enter the training room, it is natalie neumann likely that you will
If I work with you for a specific injury and see you get past that, it’s fun to see you actually excel knowing that you did everything.
WHAT students Have to say
“ SHE IS BATMAN AND I AM KIND OF ROBIN
”
“ Over four years I would consider her one of the most supportive people in my life
“ She’s helped with recovery and” enforcing the importance of taking care of your body. I definitely would not have survived this season without her
”
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 27
“
“She is like my second mom,” Grant said. “She teaches me so much, I consider her my mentor.” Grant’s work in the athletic training office has created a unique partnership while relieving Iongi from some of her countless duties. Through Iongi’s learning valuable lessons and skills up close, Iongi and Grant have formed an irreplaceable partnership. “She is Batman and I am kind of Robin,” Grant said. Grant has found so much joy through her work with Iongi that she now plans to study in the sports medicine field and hopefully find a career similar to Iongi’s, in the athletic training field. The Paly Athletic training office is open to all student-athletes and provides a variety of services including injury evaluation and treatment. In addition to athletic injuries occurring during practice, Iongi and the student trainers
can help support pre-existing conditions and long-term injuries, as well as serve as a mediator between your doctor and sports team. Paly is lucky to have access to a variety of tools and treatments that are rarely available in a high school setting, and athletes across the school are encouraged to take advantage of these resources. Whether stopping by for a quick foam roll-out, ice pack, or a session of Game Ready, Iongi and her team provide a warm, welcoming environment for Paly students and encourage athletes with any type of injury to take advantage of the unique resources Paly has to offer. Iongi’s impact at Paly is seen far beyond helping rehabilitate injured athletes. The community she has built within her office and the relationships she has made with students are what makes her role at Paly integral to the athletic community.
Photo by Hillary Studdert Junior Rachel North gets a session of Game Ready from Iongi.
A day in the life with Justine Iongi
Administrative work 9-11am
Setting up for home games 2-4pm
Evaluations, treatments and follow-ups 4-5pm
Treat in-practice injuries 5-7pm
Spend time with family 7-9pm 28 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
Check
Mates
by JJ STOEN and KATIE YEN
Chess has been around for centuries, and seems like it could have become a lost art in a world of faster, flashier digital games. However, the game evolved in the digital age and has blossomed into a wildly popular pastime among Paly students.
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 29
E
verywhere you go at Paly— whether it’s in class, on the quad, or in the lunch line – there’s always someone playing chess. It seems like chess has spread like wildfire across the school throughout the year. It may drive teachers crazy, but students are obsessed with challenging their friends to these highintensity matches. The game has been around for over 1,400 years and with recent technological advances, players and viewers are able to hop on to any streaming platform and participate in chess. Chess started to become a dying game due to the rise of video games which drew in more consumers with their exhilarating content compared to chess’ slow-paced games. However, chess has been making a digital resurgence in the past few years.
Chess has become increasingly popular on the live video streaming service, Twitch. Streamers such as Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura play the game online, while others like the Botez sisters stream games in public parks or against chess hustlers. These clips on Twitch are then uploaded to Youtube, which reaches an even wider audience as those videos on youtube bring in millions of views. All in all, the game of chess reaches countless viewers through multiple online viewing platforms. Chess streamers also often watch tournaments featuring fellow streamers and commentate them, not dissimilar from announcers at any other sports game. These games and tournaments were available for all viewers, so Wesley Gan (‘23) was at the forefront of the chess media explosion. “Over the course of the pandemic, more people started to be on their digital devices and through different social media platforms such as Youtube and Twitch,” Gan said. “Chess rose in popularity with very famous entertainers
playing it daily, and I heard that Queen’s Gambit on Netflix played a big role in chess’s popularity spike.” In late 2020, Queen’s Gambit first aired on Netflix and quickly gained popularity amongst many age groups — further popularizing chess. The series follows the journey of a young woman who started from nothing as an orphan but soon rose the ranks and ultimately competed against, and in many cases dominated, the best in the world. The show sheds light on the experiences of being a woman in a male dominated game, especially because it is set in the 1960’s, and shows her struggles as she becomes a chess champion. The show became a huge success, bringing in 62 million viewers in its first 28 days on Netflix, becoming the alltime most watched limited TV series on Netflix. One of these faithful viewers is Jia Hiremath (‘23). Hiremath watched the show when it first came out, and as an avid chess player, she sees Queen’s Gambit as a huge contributor to the resurgence of chess. “It definitely made chess seem a lot
No matter what sex, race, language, or religion you are, chess is the same.
Everyone can enjoy it.” Gabassoff (‘22)
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It’s a different type of strength. It’s about mental and intellectual strength.” Varadarajan (‘22)
more interesting to people since being good at chess has a connotation of being smart,” Hiremath said. “A lot of people started wanting to learn how to play.” Cool, calm, and collected, the chess player is a lot like your typical athlete. The game is wholly based on a player’s strategies and experience, and “chess” is often used in sports slang when a coach or team is outplaying their opponents. There are even televised chess tournaments and events, which have very similar energy and competitiveness as any other sport in the world. Some speculate whether chess should be considered a sport or not, arguing that it is just as time consuming and training-intense as other sports. Others think that the idea of chess being put on the same level as a physical sport like soccer or football is ridiculous. Nevertheless, while chess and sports have many intellectual similarities, Gopala Varadarajan (‘23), an avid chess player, separates the two on a physical level. “Contrary to many chess players’ beliefs, I don’t think chess should be considered a sport like soccer or basketball,” Varadarajan said. “It’s a different type of strength. It’s about mental and intellectual strength.” Many are intimidated by the game because everyone seems to be an expert in it. To many beginners, chess can be a confusing mess when testing the waters of the game as there are numerous strategies to learn. From the Queen’s Gambit opening to the King’s Pawn opening, there are so many ways to play this game, and that can be overwhelming. Despite the focus and determination that all chess masters play with, chess is a welcoming community. Chess players are friendly and eager to share the game they love, and will gladly answer any questions you have about moves and strategies. Eric Gabassoff (‘22) has been playing chess for many years and only has good things to say about the community. “Most chess players are inclusive and welcoming,” Gabassoff said. “They want people to play chess no matter the skill level. No matter what sex, race, language, or religion you are, chess is the same no matter what. Everyone can enjoy it.”
Whether chess is to be considered a sport or not, this game has not only given students another hobby to enjoy, but also an opportunity to challenge themselves in becoming more thoughtful thinkers. The modernization of chess has made it more accessible to players across the globe ensuring that the game will continue to be a part of our lives.
BY
the NUMBERS
Chess.com has 77 million+ players worldwide
Queen’s Gambit has had 62 million viewers since its debut
There are 64 spaces on a traditional chess board The average IQ of a chess grandmaster is 130 @vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 31
by JOSH DONAKER, HENRY BOLTE and JOSH BUTLER
Whether or not art to you means looking at a classic Leonardo Da Vinci painting, or holding a 2.5x3.5 inch piece of cardboard, both are attractive for their own reasons. Sports trading cards have exponentially grown in popularity with their value in a tight correspondence. Upwards of a million dollars can be asked for with some of these cards, and these prices are only rising.
A
rt is synonymous with expression. The purpose of art, some would argue, is to commemorate an event, to be shared between people, to derive emotion, and to provoke discussion. In a traditional sense, many think of art mainly as paintings like the Mona Lisa, The Starry Night, and The Last Supper, all of which complete the multiple goals of art. But like with many things in life, overlaps create new dimensions; the same is true with art and athletics. The cornerstone of sports and art comes in the form of cards. Though less classical than Monet’s Water Lilies, sports cards still commemorate events, such as Willy Mays’ rookie season. One of the main attractions to card collecting is the ease of sharing and trading. Often the reason for trading cards comes down to the emotions they provoke: nostalgia, joy, excitement, and sadness. The lifeblood of all aspects of sports, cards included, is discussion. The diverse opinions that people carry in regard to sports never fail to create both arguments and agreements alike.
All over the world people collect sports cards, and the same is true here at Paly. Very similar to what we see with art, or other antiques, sports cards have value because there is a lot of money in their market and a lot of wealthy people who have money to invest in it. Rookie cards typically hold the most value since they are the first print of the player. Not all rookie cards are valuable, however, as it takes the player featured in the card to be very popular and well liked by the fandom of the sport. There are obviously other factors that drive up the price of these trading cards such as impurities caused by the manufacturer, a connection back to the player, and age of the card. Another really important factor is the condition of the card, which can ultimately decide the price of cards as not a lot of people want badly kept cards. In 1868, a sporting goods store in New York made trading cards featuring baseball players. They also sold baseball equipment at the store and made the cards as a “natural advertising vehicle.” The Peck and Snyder cards are
32 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
considered the first ever trading sports cards. Baseball was the first sport to become widely professionalized, therefore creating a great way for people to earn money as the sport got more and more popular. The first ever card created was an advertisement for the company on one side and a picture of the Brooklyn Atlantics team on the other. A lot of people debate whether or not this was the first card since the team technically was not a “professional” team. Most people believe the 1869 card featuring the Red Stockings to be the first card ever created. Another interesting fact is that these cards were slightly bigger than today’s cards measuring at 3.5x4.5 inches. In the digital age the idea of caring for and trading physical cards sounds antiquated, but perhaps that nostalgia is why the hobby remains wildly popular today. NFTs may grab the headlines, but the alure of a special card of a favorite player or an exciting young star will remain for generations to come.
Neumann
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 33
OLYMPIC DOU DOU BLE BLE STANDARDS by SEBASTIAN CHANCELLOR and HARRISON WILLIAMS Many are calling out the double standard across the Olympics after the difference in treatment between Kamila Valieva and Sha’ Carri Richardson, as a spotlight is put on cheating after the conclusion of the Winter Olympics.
A
hectic Winter Olympics came to an end in Beijing just a few months after the conclusion of the summer Olympics. This time, the Olympics were filled with endless drama, revealing a double standard across different athletes and countries. We will be taking a deep dive into the Olympic double standard and giving our thoughts as to what should and shouldn’t be allowed at international competition. Last summer, United States track and field athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, who was projected to finish in the top three in the 100 meter run, was suspended after testing positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, a drug found in Marijuana. It was later
revealed that she had used Marijuana after the passing of her mother. During the Winter Olympics, Russian athlete Kamila Valieva tested positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine, which is said to increase stamina in athletes. She was still allowed to compete, which sparked outrage across the Russian skater Kamila Valieva expresses her struggles during her final performace at the olympics. world. Countless celebrities and athletes called out the Kamila Valieva at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final. double standard that the Photo courtesy of Creative Commons. International Olympic Committee holds. difference of her situation and mines?” “Can we get a solid answer on the Richardson tweeted. “My mother died
34 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
United States sprinter Sha’ Carri Richardson celebrates as she wins a race. Richardson was famously suspended after testing positive for THC before the Tokyo Olympics. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons. and I can’t run and was also favored to place top three. The only difference I see is I’m a black young lady.” Such an instance has to raise the question as to what other variables have to be considered when comparing the two situations. “There were other heart medicines available to be used and she took the one that was scientifically proven to enhance performance past just the basic health,” said Paly senior Sophia Cummings. I consider those to be way more of like some kind of enhancer than what weed would be considered.” Countless people on social media commented on the racial prejudice that the Olympic
Committee holds, and believe that there is something wrong with the system that led to the racial bias. There is no doubt that the decision to allow Valieva to compete after testing positive for trimetazidine was the wrong decision, especially given the fact that Richardson was banned just a couple months prior due to using a drug that was deemed as enhancing performance by “relaxing the athlete,” even though marijuana is scientifically proven to have far more negative effects to an athlete. Findings include the fact that marijuana damages the structure of its users lungs and increases the risk of heart attacks, exponentially so, when its user is an athlete. Valieva’s punishment after her positive test was decided by the Court of Arbitration for Sports. They determined that there would be “no
“The ONLY difference I see is I’m a BLACK YOUNG lady.” - Richardson
provisional suspension,” imposed on the athlete, citing that she is considered a “protected person,” under the World Anti-Doping code and that preventing her from competing at these Olympic games would cause her “irreparable harm,” with concerns to her mental health. This double standard that the Olympic committee holds can only be seen more clearly through the mental health issue, as Richardson only tested positive for THC after the death of her mother. We feel that there was no consideration given to Richardson’s mental health, as she was in a much worse situation than what Vaileva faced when she tested positive for a banned substance. Another ironic aspect of the mental health claim came after Valieva’s final performance at the Winter Olympics, in which she struggled enormously and fell out of medal contention completely. The pressure placed upon her to perform after reports of her positive test for a banned substance came out only seemed to result in further harm for her mental health. However, these decisions brought up another major discussion — whether or not non-performance enhancing drugs should be allowed at international competition, as well as the rules and regulations that these organizations have. While many people believe that these individual athletes are to be blamed for their intake, we believe that the organizations themselves are who are truly at fault. “I think what really failed to be recognized was the difference between a performance enhancing drug and a drug,” Cummings said. “Weed is more known to be like an antidepressant or relaxing drug. I disagree with the fact that they were so strict on Sha’Carri smoking weed, especially since it is legal in the United States. She didn’t commit a crime. I think cheating comes down to whether or not you are using your natural ability or you’re being enhanced by some type of drug.”
“I think what really failed to be recognized was THE DIFFERENCE between a performance enhancing drug and a drug.” - Cummings ‘22
@vikingsportsmag | FEBRUARY 2022 | 35
5
by TREY COLLINS, YASMIN FRIEDRICHOWITZ, GRACE GORMLEY, and GRACE LI art by YASMIN FRIEDRICHOWITZ and GRACE LI
0 Years of
Progress
Where Title IX began, the opportunities it created, and the work that is yet to be done.
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits
36 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
passed, female athletics all over the nation would likely never have grown to the importance and prominence that they hold in the lives of many women today. Once Title IX was passed, many school districts started hiring Title IX coordinators. While these individuals are in charge of the legal side of these issues, members of the community still need to step up in order to see change. K e l l y G a l l a g h e r,
M
“In the 1970s when Title IX came to be a law, the law was to address inequities in how women had less access to educational opportunities than men.” - Kelly Gallagher
) lle
universities.” Now, women have more job and educational opportunities, and girls all over the nation play sports from a young age. Athletics are so ingrained in many girls' and women's lives that for many women today, it seems impossible to imagine a life without sports. But when did women begin playing sports? According to Richard Bell of the Sport Journal, one of the first recorded examples of women playing sports was written by Homer around 800 B.C., when he wrote about Princess Nausicaa playing ball with her handmaidens on the island of Scheria. According to the Penn Museum, unmarried women in ancient Greece also had the opportunity to participate in athletic competitions to courtesy of o h Oi P se k( during the festival of Hera. in However, over time in America the role of the ‘traditional’ woman changed significantly. Women, prior to around 1862, did not have the right to control their own money or own property, and before World War I women's sports were extremely rare who and considered to be more recreational has over a activities rather than competitive or decade of experience formal athletic events, according to Bell. in administration at schools, w a s The biggest shift for America was seen recently appointed as the new interim during World War II. When the men went Title IX coordinator for Palo Alto Unified off to fight, American women ruled the School District in the summer of 2021. baseball scene. Melvin Porter for How Gallagher played a significant role They Play writes that over half of the in enforcing and processing Title IX Major League Baseball players had left to at Columbia University and wants to join the effort, and continue doing so for PAUSD. the sudden “My responsibility primarily is to a b s e n c e receive and review reports that may of male meet the definition of sexual harassment baseball and sexual harassment as inclusive of p l a y e r s interpersonal and sexual violence— l e f t respond to those reports by providing women to resources and support and then people's step up and rights,” Gallagher said. take their Gallagher puts heavy emphasis places. on providing important historical M a n y information for the school Americans, administration. including “In the 1970s when President Title IX came to be a Franklin law, the law was to address inequities in how women had less access to educational opportunities than men,” Gallagher said. “So at the time, women were restricted from participating in the joining of certain colleges and Rep. P ats y
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little girl in Illinois sprints down the ice. Her parents cheer from the sidelines as she winds up and sends the puck flying into the goal. She throws her arms up in victory and her teammates surround her. A young woman in Texas winds up for a pitch. Her arm swings around and the ball is sent into the catcher's mitt with a thud. Strike! She pumps her fist and wipes sweat off her brow. A girl in Hawaii holds the water polo ball, waiting for the ref. Tweet! She rises up out of the water and hurls the ball under the goalie's arm. She grins and highfives her teammates as they swim back to half-court. Girls all over the US are playing sports with their schools, clubs, and friends after school. Sports are a huge part of American culture for women. A plethora of things have helped this reality come to be, but one of the most keystone accomplishments for women's sports was on June 23, 1972, when the US Congress passed Title IX of the educational amendments to the Civil Rights act. This law prohibits discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal financing. It required private universities and sports organizations to address any report of sexual harassment or misconduct and actively work to prevent it. The passing of Title IX was an astronomical step for women in all walks of life, especially in athletics. Representative Patsy Mink, Representative Edith Green, and Senator Birch Bayh were the major writers of this legislation. Rep. Mink of Hawaii, being the biggest contributor, wrote this legislation in reflection of the struggles she faced as a woman in her education. However, the legislation received quite a bit of backlash. Senator John Tower, a Republican from Texas, wanted to restrict Title IX by proposing the Tower Amendment, which exempted any athletics from the conditions of the legislation. Had Tower's amendment
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“All girls can play sports, that’s the great thing about our country.” - Mariya Koroleva
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Spencer said. “It was not anything you'd both women and men now had access to want to pursue because, at that time, jobs previously restricted by gender. you only went to college to pursue a Of course, Title IX also had a large husband.” impact on female athletes. Forty years There were all sorts of misguided after the enactment of Title IX, women's 'scientific' techniques frequently used to participation in sports had risen by ten keep women out of the athletic scene. times — to over three million female When Kathleen Switzer became athletes across the nation — according to t h e first woman to run the Women’s Sports Foundation. the Boston Now, women's sports are encouraged, o t o h P c ( o urte 98 3 sy -1 Marathon in participated in, and funded at similar l l o ba 1967, race rates to men's sports in America. Female organizers athletes are also prioritized in the US tried to rip more than in any other nation, largely off her bib due to Title IX. numbers The effects of this prioritization can be and drag seen with the US women's medal count her off at the Olympic games. The summer the course, Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 2016, were according to a prime example of the dominance of the BBC. female American athletes on the world S w i t z e r stage. recalls the Jeré Longman for the New York Times r e a s o n i n g notes that had the US women been their b e h i n d own country, they would have been f o r b i d d i n g 3rd in the overall medal count, behind her to run, the entire nations of China and Britain, which were respectively, as the women won 61 the same medals overall in 2016. reasons that Bill Plachke of the Los Angeles Times men used to notes that this is due to the effects of Title keep women out of IX. More girls participate in sports in the sports for decades. US, and women's sports are prioritized "[It was thought] equally under the law. that their uterus Mariya Koroleva, might fall out, … and a synchronized maybe they would grow swimmer who hair on their chests," moved to she said. N o r t h e r n Occurrences like this California from were common in high Russia when she school sports as well. was 9, compared "We could only take the effects of three dribbles, you Title IX in an couldn't go up and interview with the down the court all the Los Angeles Times. way," Spencer said about “In Russia growing ur oto co tesy of M (Ph her high school basketball up, the boys did sports ad 9 8 team. “Girls couldn't and the girls did the do that. Boys could, of knitting and housework,” course. They thought Koroleva said. “[There is] it was too strenuous so much more opportunity [for the girls]. We had here, all girls can play to stop after three sports, that’s the great thing dribbles and pass the about our country.” ball." However, discrimination is In 1972, when Title IX still present, and many female was passed, discrimination athletes feel sexism affects them on the basis of gender in education and their sports. was banned. This caused a tidal wave of Rachel Ho (‘24) has been on the Paly changes for women all over the nation, dance team since her freshman year and in many different fields. More women has observed that female athletes are began earning college degrees, and inherently viewed differently compared ono) adr fM
Delano Roosevelt, felt that women playing baseball in the major league fields would bring cheer and hope to the American people during the war, as well as keep baseball alive while the men were gone. As a result, the All-American Girls Softball League was formed. Many women who formerly played recreational softball were recruited to play in the league. People were happy to see women playing baseball. These female athletes were meant to keep the sport alive, not rono) to actually hone their Mad f o skills as professional sy rte athletes. Their ou identities as women were meant to come first. They were told to ‘play like gentlemen and act like ladies.’ After the war was over, men came back and reclaimed their former position in American baseball, and the number of female professional athletes decreased sharply. However, more young girls became interested in sports, marking the quiet beginning of the female athletic movement. Before Title IX was passed, women’s sports were always considered to be the last priority. Equity Online, a site for information on the Women’s Educational Equity Act, found that prior to the passage of Title IX, women’s sports received less than 2% of collegiate athletic budgets. Scholarships for skilled male athletes were common, but it was virtually unheard of for talented women to receive athletic scholarships. The Women’s Educational Equity Act also found that in 1971, the year before Title IX was passed, there were less than 300,000 girls playing varsity sports at their schools. This means that women made up a measly one percent of all high school varsity athletes prior to Title IX. Susan Spencer is 80 years old, and she played every sport offered at her allgirls school during the mid-1950s: field hockey, tennis, softball, and basketball. "Girls' sports were not at all important,”
to male athletes. College, finds similar issues regarding the US Soccer Federation demanding "Whenever female bodies high school boys making inappropriate equal pay. According to NPR, this began often do things, it's comments about her team. in 2016, with five high-profile players more scrutinized “Because of the clothes we wear, the filing a complaint due to their lower than when men focus shifts from us being athletes pay. The movement then grew into a “Because of do it,” Ho said. to our looks,” Mies said. “They lawsuit in 2019. In May 2020, a judge the clothes we wear, Ho is not don’t understand that it is for dismissed their claims, and the team the focus shifts from us alone in us, it is for women. We have a had to challenge again. Now, two years f a c i n g passion for this sport, we want after the dismissal, the reigning world being to our sexism and to get better, we want to win.” champions won their appeal and the misogyny in Female athletes have been federation promised equal pay to the .” sport. Paly harassed and objectified for men’s national team. Kylie Mies graduate years, and Title IX requires Along with unequal pay, women's Yael Sarig ‘20 schools to address any reports sports also don't get the same type of (P h o s e t i o cour eM tesy Kyli is now at Brown of harassment. However, support that men's sports do. This has of Ka University. She has Mies had an instance been a problem all throughout history. re n struggled with of being harassed "Nobody wanted to cheer for us, but we finding female by a boy and played because we liked playing sports,” empowerment decided not to Spencer said. “But it wasn't anything that in her athletic go to authorities people came to watch.” spaces. Sarig because some of The same underappreciation for describes her teammates women’s sports persists to this day, seen how she felt had similar in the low audience turnout for women's sexualized i n t e r a c t i o n s athletic events. These inequities exist a n d and when they here at Paly as well. Many female athletes unwelcome reported them, notice their games are attended much in the Paly no action was less frequently than the boys games of weight room. taken. the same sport. Fans are empowering, “There are a “I feel like it is which can make all the difference in lot of systemic difficult because performance. things I take issue you don’t want the During a recent Paly versus Gunn with, especially when whole world to know, girls basketball game, there my friends say they want to but you also want to feel was a stark increase in the o t o h cour es (P tes Jon start weightlifting but feel crowded comfortable on campus,” Mies number of fans which y a o l f El out or intimidated by the number of men said. led to a very powerful in the gym,” Sarig said. Some students suggest environment for the Sarig notes the number of having a student athletes, helping lead microaggressions she experienced while representative on the Paly to victory in the being an athlete at Paly. If squat racks board so that adults have crosstown rivalry were all taken, boys would come up to a student perspective. It match against Gunn. her first and ask how many reps she had is ingrained into the minds “We usually don’t get left. When Sarig lifted heavy weights, of young female athletes any [fans], so it was such boys would come up to her that they cannot speak a different environment difa (Photo cou e Ka asking who had taught up about something to play in,” McKenna Rausch i r t h e p sy So of her how to do that. that made them (‘23) said. The worst comments uncomfortable. This is More than just game attendance, she received in the worsened by the fact women’s athletic programs all over the weight room were that administrators nation remain in the shadow of because of the often fail to take way she dressed. suitable action “One time I regarding the reports wore a sports bra they receive. and leggings, and Beyond just when I came back facing sexism and from getting water, harassment, female my friend told me athletes have had about the slut shaming to fight for their comments about me,” Sarig rights to play and to said. “The boys [were] wearing be treated with the same stringers and tank tops that [were] just as respect as male athletes are. exposing as my sports bra.” Just this February, the US Another Paly graduate, Kylie Mies Women's Soccer team won ‘21, now playing volleyball at Pomona their class-action lawsuit against
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men’s athletics. we're also being compliant with the law Since 1972, for every dollar spent on under both the federal government and women’s college sports, two have been the state government.” spent on men’s college sports. This is Former Paly softball player Ella Jones evident in equipment, advertisements, (‘20) is now at Bowdoin College. She and coaching staff for female collegiate describes what she thinks educating athletes. athletes should be about. Learning and understanding what “I think it should be about empowering needs to be done next is crucial for the young girls not to be scared about what future of women’s athletics. Paly needs they want to do,” Jones said. “Teaching to continue working on equality for them [that] there is a place for them in women, whether it is including more athletics. It teaches girls to be physically equality lessons for coaches, making and mentally stronger, empowering sure female athletes feel respected and themselves.” safe, or encouraging students to attend Female athletes through the years have women's sports. stuck together, knowing that they are As our nation changes over time, always there to support each other. Title IX continues to get more "It's all about finding that and more politicized. This group of people that best politicization has been supports you, making “Sports is very apparent over the sure that you feel past fifteen years. good and they about more than “Title IX is driven always are trying to just winning games. It’s by what our state lift you up, not put laws are, and what you down," Ho about meeting new people, our federal laws said. are,” Gallagher With a learning to be a part of a said. supportive team, learning life skills, and group -—whether Gallagher and the rest of the Title the team is working hard.” IX team at PAUSD official or not — - Sophie Kadifa (‘21) have been talking female athletes about changes that they are motivated to hope to make in order to improve their skills and make Title IX more effective in enhance their abilities. Girls the district. Supporting Girls was a movement “We anticipate proposed changes later started in 2013 for female empowerment in the spring, then those changes would of one another. Receiving support become effective under the law next from other women creates a sense of year,” Gallagher said. “We're constantly community and many college athletes making sure that we are up to speed. have meaningful advice for younger Not just the best practice of 'how do athletes who are beginning to try sports. we respond to these things in a way Sophie Kadifa (‘21), now plays water that is thoughtful and informed to the polo at LMU. trauma that people have “Sports is about more than just e x p e r i e n c e d ' , winning games,” Kadifa said. “It’s about but in a meeting new people, learning to be w a y a part of a team, learning life skills, t h a t and working hard.” While there has been tremendous growth in female athlete participation and opportunity, there is much more work to be done to achieve equity. It is important for students to speak up and know their rights as athletes. Creating change takes time, and is difficult, but if Paly students continue to persevere, change is inevitable and women will achieve the equal opportunity that they deserve. 40 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
As Spencer Kathleen put it, "today, Switzer becomes f o l l o w the 1st woman to run y o u r dream. If the Boston Marathon you want in 1967 to play in the big leagues, any sport, just do it."
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Viking Tries...
y t l a S n T e O p H S Viking writers are not the people to shy away from some friendly, or not so friendly, competition. For this edition of Viking Tries, our staff attempted to kick, throw, and shoot their way to victory.
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t is no secret that the Viking staff is while Jackson Martin and Oliver Marburg wildly competitive. So far this year, were the juniors in the competition. staff members have battled it out in Representing the superior senior class Wii Sports, pushed to break various were Anika Chang, Hailey Beck, Josh Paly athletic records, and hit the baseball Donaker, and Jake Foster. diamond to test their home run hitting “I was really excited to showcase my abilities. For our fourth edition of Viking athletic ability and experience in three Tries, eight athletes took to the Paly out of the four sports we competed in,” football field and basketball courts to try Marburg said. their luck at a series of penalty shots from To start the day, competitors lined across different sports. Here’s what went up from the 20 yard line to attempt to down. boom a kick between the uprights. First Our competition consisted of up was Chang, a soccer “Kicking a field goal and lacrosse player with a total of four sports, each with a specific shot from varying was something that I’ve no football experience. distances. First we lined up always wanted to try, However, she launched from 20 yards on the Viking and it felt good to score the kick straight down the Stadium field to attempt to drill middle to receive the first it,” a field goal. Next, participants point of the day. -Chang ‘22 grabbed a lacrosse stick to try “Kicking a field goal was to drain a penalty shot from something that I’ve always eight meters out. Athletes then took up wanted to try, and it felt good to score it,” a soccer ball to test their accuracy on a Chang said. 25 yard free kick, with a make worth two Chang was followed up with makes points. Finally, we hit the basketball court from Foster, Beck, Martin, Donaker, and to shoot two free throws from the foul Marburg, the only football player in the line, with each shot being worth a point. competition. Unfortunately, Yen and We had staff members from three Vogel were unable to convert, and will grades compete. Josie Vogel and Katie not be trying out to be the next Viking Yen represented the sophomore class, kicker. 42 | VIKING MAGAZINE | vikingsportsmag.com
by HAILEY BECK, JAKE FOSTER, and ZACH HAYWARD design by SOPHIA CUMMINGS Immediately after field goals, competitors picked up the lacrosse sticks to try their hand at an eight meter penalty shot. As expected, varsity lacrosse players Chang, Beck, and Yen all netted their shots, but after that, it got interesting. Donaker, a varsity baseball player, improved to two for two on the day while Vogel received her first point, but Foster, Martin, and Marburg all missed their shots by a decent margin. “I quickly realized that there is a lot of unknown skill that is required to have a perfect lacrosse shot,” Martin said. With the majority of competitors on the board with at least one point, we headed to the middle of the field for a 25 yard soccer free kick, by far the most
challenging shot of the day. With a make being worth two points, this portion of the competition went a long way towards determining the eventual winner. After nailing two warm up shots, Marburg continued to showcase his pinpoint accuracy by kicking it right through the middle of the goal. Vogel, a varsity soccer player, followed with a great ball into the right corner of the goal. Everyone else though, was not so lucky, as all of the remaining competitors failed to come close to sinking the shot. For Foster, a member of varsity track and field, his miss was the nail in the coffin. “Once again, I had high hopes walking into this round of Viking Tries,” Foster said. “I was quickly humbled in nearly every event.” With the free kicks in the books, we headed over to the outdoor basketball courts for the final challenge of the day. At this point, many people were tied on the leaderboard, so these two free throws ended up being for all the marbles. Participants stepped
up to the line ready to channel their with four points each. inner Steph Curry and sink the duo. “It was fun to be out there competing Unfortunately, Foster, Yen, Donaker, and with my peers,” Marburg said. “I learned Beck looked more like Shaquille O’Neal how difficult each sport was, and it felt at the line, as they were unable to drain good to come out on top.” either shot. Martin, a varsity basketball Overall, it was great to see the staff player, impressed everyone by members out on the field sinking both shots with a crisp “It was fun to be out and the court having a good swish at the end. there competing with time playing some sports on “I was glad I was able to a beautiful day. While it is very my peers. I learned clear many of them should prove my talent in my own how difficult each stick to their respective sports, sport by making those shots,” Martin said. the staff-wide performance sport was.” Chang went one for two to tie was definitely impressive. -Marburg ‘23 Martin at three points, leaving “It was really fun to see Marburg and Vogel, who each everyone step out of their had three points before stepping on the comfort zones and try a new sport,” Beck court. Both proceeded to hit one of two said. “Everyone came out and performed shots, ending the competition on top. well, and looked like they had a great “I’m very proud of how I did in the time.” games,” Vogel said. “ I was not expecting to do well, but I was very surprised when the only challenge I didn’t win was the football one.” When it was all said and done, Yen and Foster came in last with one point each, while Beck and Donaker came in tied for third with two points. Chang and Martin shared second place with three points, and Marburg and Vogel shared the championship crown
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BEAT Beat AND
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by OLIVER MARBURG, JACKSON MARTIN, and CALEB WONG art by KYLE PARK
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or years, music and sports have coincided, and the reference of sports in music has grown rapidly in both communities. Many artists have been using lyrics to highlight certain moments in sports while also honoring some of the sports legends. Athletes and musicians draw many similarities in pop culture, as both are occupied by celebrated icons who dominate their respective fields. Some athletes have even made a name for themselves in the music world. These include basketball superstar Damian Lillard, football legend Deion Sanders, soccer star Memphis Depay, and more. “I think I started to become more invested in music toward the end of my career in college and started to feel myself getting better at it,” Lillard said in an interview with American Songwriter. “I started to notice that it was a good balance for me, something I really enjoyed aside from sports. I got the same kick out of it. When I wrote something I really liked, I felt good about it and I just became more and more passionate about it and I started to care about it more.” D a m i a n Lillard, who goes by Dame D.O.L.L.A on stage, has launched s e v e r a l albums over the years with his most recent coming out in 2021. One of the tracks titled “Kobe” honored Kobe Bryant for what he has done? for the sport of basketball and pays homage to him as he passed away in February 2020. “I just wanted to create something to pay proper tribute to someone that had a tremendous impact on me,” Lillard said in the same interview. Here at Paly, many athletes have multiple musical hobbies aside from
their own sport. From vocalists to flutists, Paly is filled with multi-talented students who take part in both music and athletics. Paly junior, Carlos Valencia, also known as Lul Neto, is a rapper and singer who is also a threat to other teams on the field, sacking quarterbacks as a defensive end on the football team. Valencia released three albums this year in addition to the time he spent on the gridiron “I’d have football practice all week and then have a game at the end of the week on Friday,” Valencia said. “Throughout the week, I’d be practicing my music, not really recording anything, and then by Saturday or Sunday, that’s when I would go to the studio and record my music.” When it comes to putting in the time to sharpen your skills, music and sports are very similar. “It takes dedication to do both,” Valencia said. “It takes time and practice to get it done and perfect your craft.” Many athletes who participate in both of these activities are often asked which craft they will continue in the future: music or athletics. Paly soccer player and violinist Gopala Varadarajan (‘YY), reflects on what he sees himself doing with his future. “I’ll play soccer for fun in college,” Varadarajan said. “But when I’m older I will definitely continue music too because both of those are my biggest passions and they are what make me, me.” Sports and music may be originally perceived as two separate hobbies, but the two pastimes can correlate with each other. Music can help regulate emotions,
“I just wanted to create something to pay proper tribute to someone that had a tremendous impact on me.” Lillard
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create muscle memory, and inspire you perform a skill we practiced, we often these athletes feel like they are missing to get up and get moving. Junior soccer get burnt out and feel like we failed.” something. Whether it be either only player and oboist Many of these athletes and doing their sport or only doing music, Addie McCarter musicians use either their they feel as if they need to be doing both has observed sport or their musical to balance each other out. the symbiotic hobby as a way to escape “I think playing a sport and playing “It takes time and relationship from the stress of the music is very different,” Kramer said. “But between the other. As academics play doing them both feels balanced and I practice to get it two hobbies. another large role in think I would feel unfulfilled if I just did done and perfect “I’ve found many of these athletes’ one.” that a lot of lives, these hobbies give Sports and music have gone hand in your craft.” strategies I them the time hand for decades, use to help to express and Paly students myself gain themselves represent Valencia composure and free the next “When I’m doing during musical them up generation of performances from their multi-talented these activities, and competitions anxieties. a t h l e t e s . it’s an escape from also work on the field and have helped Junior volleyball player Whether they me perform under pressure,” and singer/guitarist Evie plan to pursue other stresses such McCarter said. “I think athletes Kramer uses athletics and a path in both as school.” and musicians get stuck music to do this. music and in the ‘practice makes “When I do both I feel athletics, or perfect’ mindset that accomplished, and when neither, their Kramer is so heavily stressed I’m doing the activities, commitment by our coaches and it’s an escape from other level for these educators, and stresses, such as school,” students is off when we don’t Kramer said. the charts. perfectly Without one another, many of
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Collegiate Cross-Up text by ROEI ZIV art by GREG LAURSEN
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fter years of outcry and activism, the NCAA finally allowed for collegiate athletes to earn money off of their name, image and likeness. The decision seemed sudden, but it was taken extremely well within the sports community, and was a sign of great things to come in terms of rights of college athletes. Just like with professional sports, though, brands want to represent athletes who are on national television every week, who are playing for wellknown programs, and who get enough media attention in order to make their endorsements worthwhile. While this means that recruits that go to universities such as Alabama, Michigan, and USC are able to get tens of millions of dollars in endorsements before they touch a professional field, it also means that athletes that attend smaller schools such as Santa Clara, George Washington, and Colgate will still not be able to appropriately earn money from NIL deals. This new inequality in college sports is said to be unavoidable by most, as this is the case in professional leagues such as the WNBA, NFL, and MLS. At the end of the day, the player that plays for the “big” teams that have the most fans and get the most media attention will end up getting paid the most. But what this is creating could ruin the competitiveness of college sports forever. If only the athletes that play for the major “Big 5” conferences are getting paid significant amounts of money, then why wouldn’t great athletes from schools such as the Colgates of the world, which despite not getting a lot of media attention do have a great athletics program, not transfer to
a more established program with more media attention to earn more money? Or why would recruits fresh out of high school attend a school in which they will never be able to earn enough money to sustain themselves while they can attend Michigan, and maybe not become an established player there, they would be able to earn far more money. If all of the top existing collegiate athletes and the top recruits currently in high school all start preferring the bigger programs then college sports has a serious issue on its hands. The integrity and competitiveness of the game is at stake, because there will not be many athletes that will turn down higher NIL deals at bigger schools to attend smaller programs and earn less money. An example of this is former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Caleb Williams, who is transferring to USC this next fall. Although he did not mention his reason for leaving the Sooners after an incredibly successful individual season, it is quite apparent. Along with wanting to team up with his Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, who also left for more money, he will be able to make millions of dollars more at USC than he would at Oklahoma, and that is while the Sooners have an amazing and successful football program. The effects of money in college sports have already made a difference to the landscape. The biggest difference can be seen in college football, where the transfer portal, of players switching from one school to another, has boomed over the past year. Before this year, there was not a significant amount of players that would transfer schools unless they absolutely had to. Now, it seems as if there are countless players that switch
schools every single year. What most enjoy about collegiate sports is the loyalty of athletes to their school, giving it a different aspect than professional sports. Yet somehow sports at the college level have lost all that many considered them special for. The NCAA still has time to salvage college sports as we know it, but they have to act quick. Putting limits on athletes transferring schools and making it harder for them to do so would bring back that sense of loyalty of athletes to their schools. This is essential to the survival of collegiate sports as if this aspect of loyalty and school pride is lost, then what is there to play for? Why would anybody want to watch it? If this special aspect is lost then college sports become a version of professional sports with worse athletes, facilities, and level of competition. In terms of how to solve the problem of schools being to recruit based off of potential NIL deals, there is not much the NCAA can do. While they can try to give other programs more airtime on live television, schools such as Michigan and USC will always come out on top financially. The only viable solution for the NCAA is to set regulations that ban schools from promising athletes enormous NIL deals, along with banning them from having any say or power in connecting brands with their athletes. The competitiveness and excitement of collegiate sports is on the line. This is a make or break time in the sports world. With a decision from the NCAA that college athletes will be able to get paid, many were ecstatic. But now it’s time to make sure that there will be college athletes to be paid.
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