Volume X, Issue 5 March 2017
Viking
Cheerleading and sexism; who is at fault?
p. 27
ZOOMS Champ Score Finish
WE ARE THE BENDERS
Viking looks into the all senior NJB team that has rocked the Paly community
22
VIKING TRIES Trampoline Basketball
24
CHEER
Viking investigates the controversy of cheerleading and its sexist ties
27
4
KILLER ATHLETES
A description of a few of the most high profiled murderers in sports history
32
LINE UP
ISSUE 5 Cover designed by Talia Malchin PETER THE SPRING SPORTS INSIDE THE READER PREVIEWS MIND
with Ellen Goncher (‘18)
14
THE GRACE PERIOD
Viking delves into the unfairness of athletes not being allowed to play due to transfers
34
March Madness bracket of the characters of Peter’s two favorite books: The Blind Side and Moneyball
15
LOST IN THE SAUCE
Viking looks in depth at the many ways professional athletes use gear to stand out
42
Coaches and players give us a peek of what is to come this Spring for Paly sports
16
ATHLETES WHO PLAY CLUB Viking explores the major differences between school and club sports
44
SHOT IN MOTION
Despite downsizing throughout publications nationwide, sports journalism and photography continues to play a significant role
36
Zoom
Champ
Lauren Koyama (‘17) goes in for a layup against a Los Gatos defender in the CCS Championship. The Lady Vikes would win 52-41. Photo by David Hickey
Score
Kaitlin Chiu (‘17) aims her shot for the goal against the Saratoga goalie. The Vikings went on to beat Saratoga 16-6. Photo by David Hickey
Zoom
Zoom
Finish
Patrick McIntosh (‘19) shoots and scores against the Archbishop Mitty goalie. The Vikings went on to beat Mitty 15-9. Photo by David Hickey
Viking
Volume X, Issue 5 March 2017
From everyone at Viking, have a good spring break! Staff List
Editors-in-Chief Skylar Burris Steven Marinkovich
Staff Writers Lauren Daniel Sabrina Hall Max Jung-Goldberg Hayley Levine Tess Preising Dillon Scheel Yue Shi Nick Smallwood Will Strauch Wes Walters Mara Zenger Matan Ziv
Features Editor Quinn Knoblock Design Editors Samantha Guillet Talia Malchin Multimedia Editors Ryan Chang Peter Snodgrass
Photographer David Hickey
Copy Editor Jamie Cullen
News Editors Ben Cleasby Ethan Stern Photo Editors Haley Chalmers Christian Rider Head Columnists Ben Cleasby Peter Snodgrass Business Manager Bryan Look Staff Advisor Brian Wilson
Viking Magazine Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Advertising and Sponsorship Contact: vikingads@gmail.com Viking, a sports magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Advanced Magazine Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Viking is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity. Advertising in Viking The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with The Viking, please contact the The Viking by email at vikingeds@gmail.com Printing Services 2,500 copies of The Viking are printed, six times a year by Fricke-Parks Press in Fremont, Calif. Logo Font Courtesy of Måns Grebäck All photos taken from Creative Commons unless noted
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From the editors Dear readers,
Hello Vikings! After a long year of growth and learning, this will be our last letter from the current editors. Looking back on our time on staff, we will be taking away many memories, lessons and skills that will be passed on to the next leadership staff. Although this is a time of mourning our positions, it is also a time of celebration of change. Not only are seasons changing inevitable, but as is the changing of leadership. We are excited to pass the baton to the next editors; we wish you the best. However, it is not that time yet. As the weather warms up and the flowers begin to bloom, we hope you will be able to
read this edition of Viking in the green meadows of the outside world. Our cover story this issue is Cheer, written by Haley Chalmers (‘17), Sabrina Hall (‘18), and Talia Malchin (‘17). It is a story that covers the controversial ties to sexism that goes in hand with cheerleading. Our second feature this issue is Shot in Motion, written by Skylar Burris (‘17), Christian Rider (‘17), and Wes Walters (‘19). Not only does it explain what it takes to be a successful sports photographer, but it also focuses on the necessity of the art of good photo journalism. Also, due to the beginning of spring sports, Viking’s got you covered with Spring Sports Previews, written by Sam Guillet (‘17), Hayley Levine (‘18), Tess Pre-
ising (‘17), and Ethan Stern (‘17). It covers all sports in the spring season, ranging from lacrosse to diving, and also tells the reader what to look out for. How exciting! Viking is also proud to give a shout out to the PA Benders in the story titled We Are the Benders, by Ryan Chang (‘17) and Steven Marinkovich (‘17). An all-senior basketball team that rocked the NJB League and even managed to defeat the girls’ varsity basketball team. Wow! All in all, it’s been a great run, Vikes. To all the non-seniors, keep bleeding green and white. To all the seniors, we hope you continue to bleed green and white through the next chapter of your educational path. For one last time, we hope you enjoy this issue of Viking!
Happy Spring and Sko Vikes! Skylar Burris Steven Marinkovich Staff view On accessibility of the new gym Two years, hundreds of hours of labor, and 41.6 million dollars later, the luxurious Paly gym is set to finally open. A lot of excitement surrounds the unveiling of this much anticipated building, which includes eight basketball courts, training and treatment rooms (with built in ice baths), team conference rooms, and a 10,000 square foot weight room. Opening facilities such as the weight room and the basketball courts to students for a set number of hours per day will only be beneficial. First of all, scientific research has shown how physical and mental health are very much related. If students have the ability to either hit the weight room or work on their jump shot in the middle of the day, it will increase their mental health, and therefore their ability to also concentrate on school. Many students say their way to relieve stress is to work out in some way. Therefore, if the gym is open to student use during the day, peo-
ple will have the ability to manage their stress while at school. Another great reason to have the gym open to student use is because it would simply be fun. Many Paly students play basketball with their friends over the weekend. The new gym, with no lack of basketball courts (eight), would be a fantastic way for students to just ball out before school, after school, or even during their prep periods. If the basketball courts are open to student use, then they could become a great way for students to build friendships. Whenever a small group of friends is balling out, and across from them is another small group, the two groups can join and play a nice, friendly pickup game of basketball. Since us Paly Vikes boast some of the best sportsmanship in the country, the two groups of friends will introduce one to another and possibly become friends. It would be a great way to meet new people, or become
closer to people you already knew. Yet another fantastic opportunity for students is an intramural basketball league. Students would be able to make their teams and a small group of students would organize the league. The games would take place at a time the teams can agree on, and the league would be a terrific way for students to interact. The weight room being open to student use throughout the day would also be hugely beneficial to the student body. Many students at Paly already lift. Therefore, giving them the opportunity to do so on campus instead of driving to a private gym would save lots of time and effort. Also, many private gyms, such as the JCC, YMCA, and 24 Hour fitness require you to pay hundreds of dollars a year for your membership. Allowing students to use the weight room would save them hundreds per year, as well as free up more free time for them to enjoy themselves.
MARCH 2017
pop culture grid WHAT DO PALY ATHLETES SAY?
Patrick McIntosh (‘18) Lacrosse
Spring break plans?
Going to the east coast
Who’s gonna win March Madness?
I got Kansas to win
Second semester senior year is... Favorite movie? Baseball or Lacrosse?
Dylan Hu (‘18) Badminton
Adam Love (‘19) Tennis
Madeline Frick (‘17) Softball
Study for AP and SAT
Just hanging around with friends
College visits with my sister in N. Carolina wooo
Who’s playing?
What’s March Madness
Gonzaga
Kansas?
I wouldn’t know but from what I have heard people are super lazy
Far away. I’m a freshman.
When you get rejected by colleges
Bittersweet
Lazy af
Jaws
Anything with Ryan Gosling
Star Wars, The Force Awakens
Lacrosse
Baseball
Lacrosse 100%
Ella Ball (‘20) Track & Field
Track
Moment of the Month
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Tennis
Lion King
Lacrosse
Spencer Rojahn (‘18) hit the game-winning three-pointer in the last second of the boys’ basketball CCS Championship against Los Gatos.
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Viking Magazine
sat down with Paly Swimming’s own Ethan Bundy (‘17) and asked him 10 questions. We then also asked his coach, friend and teammate. Here are the results...
10 Questions with
ethanBUNDY (‘17)
as told to Bryan Look
Ethan Bundy (‘17) Swimming
?
Danny Dye Coach
Thibault Collignon (‘17) Teammate
Arthur Halsted (‘17) Friend
ETHAN BUNDY
DEFINITELY JSKINNY
JARED STANLEY
MCDONALDS
PROTEIN SHAKE
Questions JARED STANLEY
Funniest teammate?
MCDONALDS
Pregame meal?
MICHAEL PHELPS
Favorite athlete?
TOM BRADY
MICHAEL PHELPS
TOM BRADY
PEOPLE CHEWING WITH MOUTH OPEN
Pet peeve?
BEING ON TIME
PEOPLE WHO DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT
WHEN PEOPLE ASK HIM FOR GUM
LOSE YOURSELF
Pump up song?
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT
TILL I COLLAPSE BY EMINEM
COUNTRY MUSIC
ANNA KENDRICK
Celebrity crush?
LADY GAGA
KATE UPTON
MEGAN FOX
THE OFFICE
Favorite tv show?
MODERN FAMILY
FAMILY GUY
SHAMELESS
WOMEN’S BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Favorite sport to watch?
FOOTBALL
WOMEN’S BEACH VOLLEYBALL
FOOTBALL
DEFINITELY SWIM SEASON
Favorite part about Spring?
COACH DYE
NOT SWIM SEASON
SWIMMING
Best part about SSS?
NO MORE COACH DYE
THURSDAY NIGHTS
THIRSTY THURSDAYS
0%
50%
30%
THIRSTY THURSDAYS
PANDA EXPRESS
MARCH 2017
ELLEN as told to SAM GUILLET
inside the mind of GONCHER (‘18)
ON JUNIOR YEAR
Junior year is going pretty well so far, I am really enjoying taking Humanities and APUSH. I just finished the SAT so it is nice to have that out of the way. I am mostly just enjoying the time I get to spend with my teammates during practice and before games, it is a nice break from my schoolwork.
ON FREE TIME
Currently I’m spending most of my time with school and lacrosse. However, when I have some extra time I normally watch Netflix, right now I’m watching Black Mirror! I also like to hang out with my friends on the weekends or go to the Creamery with the lacrosse team!
ON PRE-GAME RITUALS
Before games I always get there 30 minutes before warmups and listen to my pump up playlist. I’ll either watch the beginning of the JV game or just sit and get ready for the upcoming game. Before the game we always have a dance party, which always gets us really amped up and ready to play.
ON FUTURE PLANS
I have been looking at a few Division III schools and talking to some coaches, but I still haven’t totally decided what my lacrosse plans are. I definitely want to continue playing in college, but I am deciding if I would like to play Division III or club lacrosse.
Peter The Sports Reader March Madness Edition by PETER SNODGRASS
I
n this March Madness, Peter the Sports Reader return special, I created a bracket of characters from two of Michael Lewis’s most famous books, The Blind Side and Moneyball. From this bracket, one unanimous winner was chosen, Leigh Anne Touhy. Read on below to find out about each character and its respective book!
The Blind Side
I
n this tearjerker of a novel, Lewis writes about the story of the Tuohy family and their temporary adoption of Michael Oher (a future NFL first round draft pick). This book also follows the importance of football in communities and explains the game in a basic manner. For anyone who wants a heartwarming story and wants to learn more about the sport of football, this book is for you. Key Characters One Seed: Michael Oher A young teen living on the streets receives help from a welcoming family who help harness his raw talent into a scholarship to Ole Miss and eventually a first round draft pick.
Oher is a definite one seed in this tournament. Three Seed: Leigh Anne Touhy Even as a three seed, Leigh Anne Tuohy is a sleeper. She was the motivation behind taking Oher into her home, and helped him develop into the outstanding person he became. Seven Seed: SJ Tuohy SJ Tuohy forms a close relationship with Oher, helping him work to become a better person and learn more about football. He also adds charm to the story to the heartwarming story. Five Seed: Sean Tuohy A great businessman, but an even better family man, Mr. Tuohy provided paternal support for the Tuohy family. His only knock is his temporary reluctance to accept Oher into his home.
Moneyball
I
n this novel, Lewis writes about the pioneering of analytics in baseball, particularly in the Oakland A’s organization. This story features amazing characters and an underdog story. For any baseball lover or someone who wants a very informative yet deeply interesting
book, this book for you. Key Characters Two Seed: Billy Beane The mastermind behind the Oakland A’s organization who redesigned the way prospects were scouted. Beane received the two seed because of his refusal to take more money to leave his dream job. He also created a winning team in Oakland using a very limited payroll Four Seed: Peter Brand Brand is a fictional character who is supposed to represent Paul DePodesta, an analytics guru who pioneered the integration of analytics into sports. Five Seed: Kevin Youkilis YOOOUUUUKKKK! A MLB journeyman, Youkilis is known as the God of Walks. In Moneyball, he is a key player in a analytics driven baseball team. Eight Seed: Grady Fuson Fuson is depicted as the bad guy against analytics in Lewis’s story, earning him a four seed. He was a scout for the Oakland A’s who did not believe that analytics could help improve the game of baseball.
1 Michael Oher Michael Oher 8 Grady Fuson Michael Oher 4 Paul DePotesta
Double Stamps of Approval for two of my favorite books ever!
Kevin Youkilis 5 Kevin Youkilis
Leigh Anne Tuohy 3 Leigh Anne Tuohy Leigh Anne Tuohy 6 Sean Tuohy Leigh Anne Tuohy
7 SJ Tuohy SJ Tuohy 2 Billy Beane
Although Mrs. Tuohy came in as a three seed, she ended as the winner due to her empathy for others and her kickass attitude in life.
SPRING SPORTS PREVIEWS Viking takes a look at each Spring sport at Paly by interviewing coaches, team captains and new additions to the team, giving us a preview of their upcoming season. by SAM GUILLET, HAYLEY LEVINE, TESS PREISING and ETHAN STERN
er, the boys’ tennis team is in the strongest league in NorCal. “Our chief goal [this season] is to stay in the upper league,” Harader said. With the loss of key players Shiv Matta (‘16), Carl Goodfriend (‘16) and Drew Embersits (‘16), the team will have to step up their game because of their placement in the upper league. Despite the tough opponents that the team will have to face, he believes his team will do very well this spring. Their hardest opponent they will have to play is Monta Vista. Harader said that an athlete to keep
BOYS TENNIS The boys’ tennis team is looking to improve on their skills because of their performance last Spring. Team captain Noah Galper (‘17) mentioned that the team has been in the upper league for as long as he can remember. Their performance last year was not as good as previous seasons, however it was good enough to not force them to drop to the lower league. According to head coach Andy Harad-
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an eye out for is Sean Young (‘17). Just before the spring season started, Young was debating whether or not to play on the Paly varsity baseball team, however, he decided to give tennis a shot. “Since I’ve grown up playing baseball and hanging out around baseball people, I joined the team unfamiliar with most of the tennis guys. But they’re a really fun and accepting group, and I feel like I’ve been playing with them forever already,” Young said. Young talked about some personal goals that he has for this spring. “I want to try to take aggressive shots at times, while still remaining patient at the baseline,” Young said. Young is really looking forward to how the rest of their season plays out. Another athlete that Harader recommended to look out for this season is the freshman Aaron Li (‘20). He has only been a part of the team for a few weeks, but has already bonded with his teammates on and off the court. Li talked about some of the skills he would like to work this season. “As an individual, one of my main goals is to stay low and have smoother footwork, and also watching the ball longer. I don’t think we can improve as a team because we already are the best,” Li said. Along with having these goals for tennis, Li also wants to become closer with his teammates. The boys’ tennis team is looking to improve their skills and their relationships with their teammates as they face the teams in the upper league this Spring season.
TRACK FIELD AND
Track has always been a strong sport at Paly over the years and this year is no exception. After strong showings last year, the track team comes back this year stronger than ever. Maya Reuven (‘18), who has been on varsity since her sophomore year, talked about the upcoming season. The team has really bonded over the years, even with new athletes coming in and the team so big. “Before meets we will have pasta feeds,” Reuven said. Pasta feeds are a really good way for the team to bond in a social environment off the track. There have been lots of losses with the graduation of multiple seniors. “A major loss is Cat Yu [(‘16)], who has the school record in 100H,” Reuven said. “As for guys’ sprints, Our major losses are Eli Givens [(‘16)], Austin Cox [(‘16)], Dami Bolarinwa [(‘16)].” There’s a new wave of freshmen joining the team. “We have a lot of really fast freshmen in sprints like Ella Ball [(‘20)] and Sophia
SWIMMING
Moore [(‘20)],” Reuven said. There are many seniors returning this year that are key to a successful season for the team. “Titi Bolarinwa [(‘17)] is incredibly fast, so she will definitely continue to be a key player,” Reuven said. “Key players will be Tanner Newell [(‘17)], Thorin Haussecker [(‘17)], Neil Verwillow [(‘17)], Sherwin Amsbaugh [(‘17)], Noah Yuen [(‘18)], and Tyler Marik [(‘18)].” Boys’ distance runners are posed to have a strong showing with seniors Kent Slaney (‘17) and Naveen Pai (‘17) leading the charge. Reed Foster (‘18), Sam Craig, Henry Saul (‘19), and Aashai Avadhani (‘18) are also runners to watch out for. The girls look to have a strong season with lots of returning athletes like Adee Newman (‘18) and Julia Doubson (‘18). The addition of new freshmen that will help the team have a successful season. Gunn continues to be a rival for Paly from distance running to long jump. Los Ga-
tos has been a rival for the past few years, because they have an arsenal of players that match up with Paly. Both teams have athletes that compete at a high level and have potential to go far in league and in states. This season is going to be better than ever with all of the strong athletes PALY has. The next home meet of the is against Milpitas on March 28 at 3:15.
Last year both boys and girls swimming had strong showings and the girls had run at a state title. This year both teams are back and stronger than ever. Both teams have strong swimmers with Alex Liang (‘17) headlining a strong boys team while Claire Lin (‘18) is coming back to lead the girls toward another title run. The girls lost a ton of strong swimmers like Reed Merrit (‘16) and Mimi Lin, who were CCS champions while at
Paly. Lin, who has been on the team since her freshman year, discussed the upcoming season. “Some of the key losses is our seniors Kayleigh Svensson, Katie Frances, Emily Zhang, and junior Sofia Sigrist,” Lin said. The boys team lost Andrew Cho (‘16) and Kevin Bowers (‘16) strong swimmers on an overall strong boys team. Cross town rival Gunn is going to be the biggest roadblock for Paly as they try and win another league title. However, the Paly team are strong contenders in CCS having to deal with the girls having to deal with St. Francis, Archbishop Mitty and Gunn. The boys will have to compete with St. Francis, Gunn and Bellarmine when CCS rolls around. The ultimate goal for the girls team this year would be to win a state title. The boys would like to win leagues and CCS and thus far, are on the right track. Both teams have the athletes and the potential to have a good showing this season and make a run in leagues and to go far past that and each team has potential to bring a state title home. The next home meet for the teams is against Gunn on April 1 at 3:45.
MARCH 2017
SOFTBALL
The Paly softball team has started out strong with a 3-1 record. The team is coached by Brooke Binkley, and is captained by Madeleine Frick (‘17) and Maggie Renteria (‘17). Binkley sees every player on the team as valuable but points out a few standouts and players to look out for. “I truly believe that every athlete on the team this year should be followed closely, but some athletes to look out for are Sophie Frick, Maggie Renteria, Mackenzie Glassford and Sydney Liu,” Binkley said. The Paly softball team has been working hard, and despite some strong per-
BASEBALL
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formances Renteria feels that they still have room for improvement. However, she is confident in her team. “As a team I think we just need to have more confidence in our abilities and calm ourselves down when we're nervous, because when we play with confidence we are always really strong,” Renteria said. Mackenzie Glassford (‘17), who has been on the team for three years, also has some goals for the team. “As a team, I think our main thing to work on is small ball. Bunting can be really helpful in certain situations and we need to work on getting it down,” Glassford said. Binkley is very optimistic about the team's season and is happy with the leadership on the team. “The team will do great this season.
The girls are playing confidently and very cohesively. There are a lot of veterans on the team, all of whom are showing great leadership...I already see the team becoming more competitive in both the games and practice. The girls are hustling at practice, treating every drill as a ‘game-like’ situation and putting in the work they need to ramp up the intensity,” Binkley said. Although the team can be intense they also have their share of fun, and Glassford points out the rituals the team has and the closeness between the players. ”Our main pre game ritual is we have team lunch the day of the game and we always try to do a fun dress up day. We also like to try and get together for team dinners...the whole team connects really well with each other on and off the field,” Glassford said. Renteria also points out one thing she wants people to know about the team. ”I think that softball gets overlooked a lot and most people don't...realize what a great team we have,” Renteria said.
“When it comes down to it, this team meshes with each other and you can see it when we are all working together on the field”. This is what senior captain Ben Cleasby (‘17) believes is the defining factor of the team that will propel them to success when playoff time comes around. This year’s baseball team lost some key guys from last year including ace’s Justin Hull (‘16) and Alec Olmstead (‘16), but as Max Jung Goldberg (‘18) put it, “we have a lot of young guys who know that there is an
opportunity for them and they are ready to compete”. With this drive to perform backing the team this year, these boys are planning to do some big things. “Our goal this year is to enforce our will on the league competition and go into CCS with a chip on our shoulder knowing we have to prove something” Cleasby said. The team is built around a solid pitching rotation that will allow the team to stay in many close games this year. With a strong defense supporting this rotation, so it’s going to come down to their bats stringing together hits and manufacturing runs with savvy base running. Coach Pete Fukuhara emphasized that playing fundamentally clean baseball paired with an aggressive mindset to be the enforcer throughout their games will be the key to this team’s success. They have all the tools, now they just have to go out and execute. Sporting new uniforms this year, this team has a lot of swagger so be sure to go out and watch them play.
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GIRLS LACROSSE
The Paly girls lacrosse team has started the season off strong with a league record of 3-0. Last year, the team, coached by Jamie Nesbitt, won the SCVAL championship against Gunn, and this year they hope to go far in the playoffs again. Katie Cox (‘17), who was pulled up to the varsity team halfway through her sophomore year, talks about the team goals for this season. “I hope for this season that we can win SCVAL again and stay undefeated in league and of course beat Gunn,” Cox
said. Ellen Goncher (‘18), who has been playing on varsity since her freshman year, says the team also has smaller goals though, aside from winning SCVAL championships. “Obviously a big team goal is to win the SCVAL championships, but [a] smaller goal includes improving our [team] transition [on the field],” Goncher said. The team has already faced some tough matches, however, more challenging opponents are on their way for the girls. “We have already had our two hardest contests of the year against East Bay teams, but [we] expect tough league contests against Gunn and Mountain View, who we let slop by a game last year,” Nesbitt said. The team has stayed persistent in keeping a strong mentality and forming close relations with each other through
bonding and pre-game rituals. “Before each game our team always has a dance party where we get hyped for the game, we also have a circle where we give a pep talk before the game to prepare,” Cox said. Nesbitt encourages the girls to stay strong mentally during games and to stay focused, which will help them remain consistent in their play. “The team is working to hold our ground defensively and work around the other team rather than playing at their level,” Cox said. Off the field, the players spend a lot of time together to build stronger connections with each other. “We spend a lot of time together and often go to the dinner after Friday games, normally at The Creamery,” Goncher said. The girls continue to stay optimistic about how the season will play out this year. “The lacrosse team is a great community, and I am super excited for what this season has to bring!” Goncher said. By keeping their spirits high, the girls lacrosse team is determined to reach their goals of winning SCVALs and beating crucial opponents this year.
BOYS LACROSSE
The Paly boys lacrosse team, coached by D.J. Shelton, looks to win league this season. After an unfortunate loss in the championship game last year against Los Gatos, the team is determined to bounce back and win the championship this year. “We still have some things to work on while playing, but that will come with time...Since it is only my second year playing I want to try to help the team to
my best ability,” Jordan Schilling (‘17) said. The players continue to take further steps into making their play better each day for themselves and for their teammates. Patrick McIntosh (‘19), who has played on the team since his freshman year, also adds the goals the team
has for the season. “As a team and as an individual, we are looking to really take our stick skills and off ball movement to the next level,” McIntosh said. As well as improving technical skills, the players hope to establish more team bonding exercises to strengthen their team comradery. “We sometimes get lunch as a team on
game days, but besides that we do not have any other team bonding exercises. However, we are looking to get something going for the future,” Schilling said. Even though the team does not meet up religiously outside of practices, the players believe that the team’s camaraderie off and on the field has remained consistently high throughout the season so far. The players are able to connect with each other on a more personal level than just through the sport. “The brotherhood that lacrosse has provided for me is unforgettable,” Schilling said. In addition to the friendships made, McIntosh reveals his love for the sport itself. “I really love playing lacrosse because two plays are never fully identical, there is always something new,” McIntosh said. Through improving the team dynamics on and off the field, the boys lacrosse team hopes to achieve a successful season this year.
MARCH 2017
BADMINTON The Paly badminton team has gained a few new players this year and looks to improve their versatility this season. Flavia Stiglich (‘17), who has been on varsity badminton since the start of last season, and Michael Chau (‘18), who has been on varsity since his sophomore year, are both the captains of the team. Stiglich and Chau have high hopes that the team will grow closer together this season and strive to attain certain individual and team goals. “This year, our team is pretty young, because we picked up a bunch of new freshman and have quite a few returning sophomores…[People] need to realize that badminton, though it seems individual, is really a team sport,” Stiglich said. Many players are competing in both doubles and mixed doubles this year, which requires a kind of synergy between the players. “As a team I hope we can all grow closer whether we're [on] jv or varsity, and help each other get better,” Chau said. In an effort to attain closer connections with each other, the players try to
GOLF
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stay close off the courts as well. Due to the construction of the new gym, the badminton team has been forced to move their practices to the Gunn High School gym. “The team has to take a lot of bus rides together... these bus rides are a great time to bond with teammates, which has led to us being a pretty tightly knit group,” Stiglich said. Through the team has already taken some tough losses this season, the players have confidence in their abilities. “I'm hoping that as a team we can stay positive. I think Paly has been good at riding through tough times and taking those experiences to learn and do bet-
Over the past three years golf has created a reputation for themselves as a force to be reckoned with as they have gone undefeated in league for the past four years. Last year the team won their fourth straight Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) tournament and their top three shooters of the tournament were Sergi Mata (‘18), Ahmed Ali (‘18), Henry Gordon (‘16). The team then moved on to place first in CCS Regional I. This year the team faces some challenges as three of their six starters have graduated. Some of the team’s key losses are Henry Hughes (‘16), Gordon, and Matthew Lewis (‘16). The team is taking this challenge head on with an array of newcomers ready to compete including freshman Akira Isayama (‘20) who w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m
ter,” Chau said. Improving their individual game physically and mentally, the players continue to set goals for themselves for this year. “My personal goal for this season is to end the season undefeated…[as] captains we are [also] working really hard training both teams to stay in the CCS upper league,” Stiglich said. The Paly badminton team aims to perform their best this season, along with improving their unity on the team.
will be taking over the number three starting position. Some of the players to look out for are Ali and Mata. Despite the team's’ losses Ali still has high expectations for the team. “We are looking to keep our undefeated streak going and beyond that trying to advance to NorCals. This is my third year on the varsity team and each year we have gotten one step further than they year before. Last year I made it to NorCals as an individual and that was a great experience and this year I hope that our team and I can advance further,” Ali said. Each golfer on the team knows their style and have embraced it. Though this is a very individualized sport, the team has become very close with each other especially with the challenge they face this year. “I am happy to say that I have a very close relationship with my teammates on and off the course. We mesh together and that’s what makes us work as a unit” Mata said. With this cohesive unit, the team is looking forward to performing this season and plan to defend their title in CCS.
DIVING
For the boys and girls diving team, this season is looking to be another strong season after a strong performance last year. The team lost quite a few strong seniors last year, in particular, Reed Merritt (‘16) and Mimi Lin (‘16). Both of them set new school records during the season. Merritt broke his own record during last year's SCVAL [Santa Clara Valley Athletic League] Championships while Lin broke a ten year record during SCVAL Championships last year. Last year Lin came in first at the CIF [California Interscholastic Federation] State Championships and in 2015 Merritt came in third at the State Championships. According to coach Danny Dye, “Anytime you lose a [Central Coast Section] CCS champion it is a bit of a hole to fill. I think the divers are prepared to fill that hole though,” Dye said.
Alice Saparov (‘18), who’s been on varsity since her freshman year discussed the upcoming season. Over the years Paly’s diving team has been a team to be reckoned with and has gone up against strong opponents. “I would say that our biggest rival is probably Gunn. They have a very strong swimming and diving team making it harder to beat them,” Saparov said. The team has suffered losses of seniors Merritt and Lin, who were both powerful competitors. “This year we are competing without Mimi and Reed which is a huge loss for our team as they were both CCS champions,” Saparov said. Despite their loss, the team is still looking forward to new additions to the team. There’s a new group of freshmen coming in to help the team improve.
“We got three new freshman, all of which show a lot of great potential,” Saparov said. “They have been performing very well at the dual meets, and those that have 11 dives seem very likely to qualify to CCS.” With the loses of Merritt and Lin there are new divers to look out for to pick up the slack. The team is hoping that the underclassmen will be able to do just that. “Definitely look out for the freshmen and sophomores on the team as they all show a lot of potential to do well,” Saparov said. “The sophomores this year have improved alot since last year and hopefully will continue to improve as the year continues.” The freshman have had a strong showing as Max Valasek (‘20) has won every meet this year. However, it isn’t just the underclassmen that are hoping to improve. The team looks to improve as a whole and each athlete individually. “Personally, I am looking to clean up all my dives in terms of my form and entry,” Saparov said. “As a team we hope to go into every meet with a lot of spirit and confidence, as well as really trying our best at practice so we can improve throughout the season.” The team is looking forward to a great season and hopes to go very far this year. Emma van der Veen (‘17) is the only senior on the diving team and has been a strong diver throughout her four years on varsity. Van der Veen has been improving throughout her time on the team, and last year made it to top 16 in CCS. Van der Veen is hoping to continue to improve along with the rest of the team to get as far as they can in CCS this year. “This year the the diving team is focusing on getting more of a team aspect to the high school diving experience,” van der Veen said. “We also want to finish well at CCS again this year and contribute to what we hope will be another first place finish for swimming and diving team.”
GOOD LUCK VIKINGS! MARCH 2017
We Are The
by RYAN CHANG and STEVEN MARINKOVICH
BENDERS
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here is something about varsity athletics that really sucks the fun out of sports. The combination of coaches screaming insults and daily conditioning can wear a kid out. Even though some people hate the commitment of varsity athletics, it doesn’t mean they hate the sports themselves. Think back to when you were in elementary school. The days when you showed up to a basketball court with your best friends and just played. A time where the only goal was having fun and playing basketball because you loved the game. You would play free and be yourself. You wouldn’t be scared of some coach breathing down your neck and threatening to bench you. No expectations and no fear. A time for you to hangout with your friends and make memories for a lifetime. This year, a group of Paly seniors decided to resurrect the glory days of their basketball careers. It all started when a group of friends signed up to join an 18u NJB (National Junior Basketball) league. As the season progressed more and more seniors joined the team. The result was an unforgettable season that has sparked an NJB movement around Palo Alto. In this article we will talk about what made the Benders, the Benders.
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The Name The team was all into hockey and you’re terrible at hockey when your skates bend on the ice. They went into the season calling themselves a “terrible basketball team” and the name Palo Alto Benders was born.
#eyesonorangecounty The common goal of the season was to reach Orange County, the place where the league playoff champion would go to represent in a statewide tournament. As the season progressed, the #eyesonorangecounty hashtag became ever more prominent and was eventually a common association with the PA Benders. Leaving a Legacy The Benders have done what many generations of high school ballers wanted to do. They played with heart and competed at a high level, but at the same time they had fun at every step of the way. Even though their playing days may be over, they have left a legacy on the Palo Alto community. A new generation of recreational ballers have decided to follow in the Benders’ footsteps. Palo Alto Diversity and Team 24, two teams in the junior class that will try to uphold
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Viking takes an in-depth look at the Palo Alto Benders, an infamous NJB team made up of Paly seniors.
the Benders’ legacy. Word on the street is that there could potentially be a tournament held in the new gym before the end of the year between all three teams. Season Review The PA Benders experienced quite an up and down season. Following a blistering start to the campaign, with four straight wins, the team looked as if they were about to set the league alight. They would slow down however, posting an unimpressive 3-3 record in their final six games. Despite the shaky second half of the season, the team still had their #eyesonorangecounty, going into the postseason confident, with a first round matchup against Foothill, a team they handled easily during the regular season. That first round matchup was one the Benders will never want to look back on. Despite playing well throughout the game, the team was given absolutely no love by the referees. The Benders lost two key players, Adrian Smith and Alex Liang, along the way that game, both going down with rolled ankles. After a Tommy Smale game tying three pointer attempt just lipped out at the buzzer, the PA Benders’ season came to an unfair, heartbreaking end.
Player BY The Profiles NUMBERS Griffin Byer, PG, #42 Strengths: Three point shooting, mid range shooting, finishing, passing, willing defender Weaknesses: Size, strength, too passive at times
Nick Smallwood, Utility Strengths: Available at any time, team player, lenient about play time Weaknesses: Not officially on the Benders roster, plans on attending Elon University
Sam Lee, SG, #23 Strengths: Good basketball I.Q., team player, hype man, Griff’s #1 fan Weaknesses: Fourth quarter anxiety, streaky shooter
Adrian Smith, SG, #30 Strengths: Elite scorer, long, tall, skillful Weaknesses: Weak ankles, weak bowels
Alex Liang, SF, #44 Strengths: Athletic, plays for the team, solid mid-range game, ultra competitive Weaknesses: Weak ankles, doesn’t want to risk injury due to swimming career Henry Reinstein, C, #33 Strengths: Determined, organizer, fashionista, trash talker, founder of the Benders, aggressive, height, presence in the paint Weaknesses: Foul trouble, shooting, dribbling, basketball I.Q., clumsy Tommy Smale, PF, #24 Strengths: Monster on the boards, hype man, co-emotional leader Weaknesses: Shin splints, tries to dunk on fast breaks, but can’t touch rim
Jared Stanley, PF, #45 Strengths: Rebounding, getting arc on his shots, all around player Weaknesses: Rarely shows up to games, shot selection, lacks discipline Dylan Williams, Bench Commander, #51 Strengths: Moral support, attempting to hit ‘LaMelo Ball’ shots Weaknesses: Scoring the basketball, defense, passing, dribbling, shooting, basketball I.Q., finishing, size, strength, length, started season with negative points, rebounding Mason Wittman SF #13 Strengths: Great athlete, aggressive in the paint, chippy, co-emotional leader Weaknesses: Very, very inconsistent shooter, temper tantrums, discipline, technical fouls, refs hate him
-2
The number of points that Dylan Williams had halfway through the season after he scored a putback against his own team during a game.
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The number of sprained/ rolled ankles that the team experienced over the course of the season. It’s a problem.
14 The number of different people who suited up and played for the Benders this season.
MARCH 2017
VIKING TRIES: Trampoline Basketball
by MAX JUNG-GOLDBERG and BRYAN LOOK
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It’s not often that you have a non basketball athlete with a vertical leap high enough to dunk on a regulation size hoop. So, in our newest addition of Viking Tries we stopped by Rocking Jump to attempt some dunks with the help of a trampoline.
Address: 401 Quarry Road City: San Carlos, California Hours: 3:30-8:00 PM Phone: 1-(650)-528-2036
s we stood waiting our turn to use the hoop, it was very loud. The constant sounds of yelling excitement and the spring of trampolines made it hard to think. When we finally got to hold one of the foam basketballs and it was our turn to approach the rim, it was suddenly quiet. As Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) approached the rim for his first dunk of the day, he was suddenly in the
zone. He took one final two-footed jump and sprung towards the rim. He rose all the way to until his knees reached the level of the seven-foot rim. He quickly put the ball through his legs and swung the ball on a windmill slam. Viking Tries has played a lot of sports, but Slamball is not one of them. Slamball is a form of basketball played with four trampolines in place of the floor in front of each hoop. Slamball became more popular in the early 2000’s and profes-
Bryan Look (‘18) gets a running start for a vicoious dunk attempt. It is key to make sure you reach top speed before your last jump so that your vertical leap is maximized.
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sional Slamball was televised in 2002 and 2003. To get a taste of Slamball, Viking played some trampoline basketball. Slamball is played four on four with three positions per team. Each team has a Handler, two Gunners and a Stopper. The Handler controls the offense and organizes the Gunners. The Gunners attack the rim on the offensive end and look to
poline basketball as Max, a staff writer on Viking, and Bryan Look (‘18), Viking’s business manager, visited Rockin Jump to try it out. We arrived at Rockin Jump in San Carlos on a Sunday afternoon, which we would find out is one of their busiest times. When we entered we filled out an online waiver (which you can also do at
“It’s very important to maintain proper momentum towards the basket in order to make sure you can jump as high as possible on the last bounce.” Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) dunk the ball. Stoppers stay in front of the rim and defend the rim against the Gunners. Scoring is based on two points for any shot where the offender doesn’t touch the rim and three points for any dunks or shot outside the arc. Play is fast paced and exciting. This was Max’s first experience of tram-
home on their website) and paid $15 for an hour of jump time plus $3 for their required jump socks. When we entered the jump area, we were very surprised by the sheer amount of approximately eight year old kids. Every part of the facilities was filled to capacity with lines of kids waiting their turn.
Max Jung-Goldberg (‘18) at the top of his leap ready to flush the one handed dunk.
We were mainly interested in using the basketball hoops so we waited for about three minutes for one of the hoops to be vacated. Once we got one of the two hoops to ourselves, we were able to use the hoop alone for about 15 minutes. Once we were using the hoop, we had a lot of fun. Using the trampoline and dunking on a hoop that was already set at about seven feet tall, we were able to rise up to the rim being at waist level. After Max finished his first attempt at a vicious through the legs, Bryan nailed a full 360 windmill. We both had a lot of fun dunking on the hoop as we were both able to put down multiple impressive dunks. Even though the dunking was fun, our overall experience was lacking at Rockin Jump. Their facilities are quite small and it was over crowded when we went. We recommend if you’d like to play trampoline basketball at Rockin Jump that you go during more obscure hours than we did. In order for Rockin Jump to be less busy go during midday on Monday through Thursday. Overall, trampoline basketball was a great experience. Although the trampoline park we went to was a bit over crowded, in the end trampoline basketball was a lot of fun. We got to try out our favorite dunks from the NBA Dunk Contest and enjoy being able to dunk with ease. We would recommend this to anyone who wants to have a good laugh and play some basketball.
Bryan Look (‘18) at the end of the trampoline preparing himself for a monster two handed slam. Creating enough space before you dunk allows you to get multiple jumps allows you to get more height on your vertical. MARCH 2017
The Viking Magazine would like to thank our sponsors.. Alissa Stern John and Sarah Cleasby Doug and Fara Marinkovich Caitlin Smallwood Judy Leahy Go Paly Vikes!
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Viking Magazine is fully funded by ads and sponsorships, if interested in supporting the magazine through a sponsorship please contact vikingads@ gmail.com
With criticisms of cheerleading on the rise, it has become worth the time to look into its roots; through looking into the activity’s history and controversial components, Viking details both sides of the discussion. MARCH 2017
Photo courtesy of Madrono Yearbook
by HALEY CHALMERS, SABRINA HALL, and TALIA MALCHIN
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t’s a brisk Friday night, and as the September sun begins to set, the team waits eagerly in the locker room to make their first appearance on the field. Nerves and excitement fill the locker room to finally participate in the first game of the season. The stands begin to fill with about 20 minutes until kick off. As they all wrap up their pregame rituals, the final section of the sidelines gets filled. Walking out to the spotlight, they don’t wear helmets or cleats, and they don’t score touchdowns. They don’t sit and watch like the rest of the fans in the stands. Instead, they bring passion and spirit to the field. They bring up the fans when the home team is down, rally the students when they’re doing well, and wear their school colors with pride. They are the cheerleaders. They are strong, athletic, indepen-
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dent people; mostly female. But is the concept of cheer and the means through which it is portrayed oppressive to women? Some would say so; between the arguably revealing uniforms, the virtual exclusivity of female participants, and the principle of females “cheering” for traditionally male organizations, it would not be outrageous to associate cheerleading with modern-day, problematic sexist components of our society. Feminism is the term to describe the advocacy of female rights to attain equality between the sexes. One of the most well-known and stubborn fights being fought by proclaimed feminists is notable for both its intensity and its longevity: the objectification of women. It forms a nearly impenetrable ceiling that women’s personalities and potential can rarely break, and often equates one’s human worth to their physical appearance. Anti-cheer activists claim that cheerleading is simply a microcosm of sexism’s worldwide prevalence, and can serve as a prototype for the definition of such objectification.
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1905, where a larger male cheer squad for the basketball and football games, called “The Cheerleading State”, was formed. The activity remained dominated by men until World War II, when most of the college-aged men went off to serve -Hillary in the army. At the time, women were not allowed to compete in collegiate sports, but were permitted to join cheering squads. Once the sport became oriented toward female participation, it began to incorporate tumbling, stunting, and props like the megaphone and pom-poms. It was not until the 1970’s that it made the shift from improvised crowd-leading to practiced routines, which later influenced the formation of cheer competitions. In essence, cheerleading was founded by men, for men. So the sport in and of itself was not born as an excuse to objectify women, but rather, had the sole purpose of rallying fans. Today, though, this is obviously not the case; it has evolved, alongside the commercialization and mass distribution of sports through the media, influencing the importance of general attractiveness of the sport. In other words, physical appeal has become increasingly crucial when it comes to allthings cheer. There is no denying the technically coed sport’s unequal participation between the sexes nor its more common presence supporting male sports, nor the uniform’s minimal surface area coverage, which pales in comparison to that of, say, softball. University of Washington’s cheerleading squad recently released a pamphlet that highlights the emphasis put on beauty in cheer, having incorporated a section of “Do’s and Don’t’s” when trying out for the squad. Some of the bullets in the “Do” section included having “a bronze, beachy glow, false eyelashes and flattering eye-shad
That’s not cheerleading being sexist… that’s a reflection of our society being sexist.
There is a distinction to be considered, however, that Dr. Jean Williams – a senior research fellow at the International Centre for Sports History and Culture – may have argued best: “Cheerleading is a symptom of the wider sexualisation of female athletes, not a cause.” Similarly, Paly’s own cheer and dance team coach, Hillary McDaniel, points out that the games in which they participate are those that are most widely attended by students, not the most “manly” or even traditional; it just so happens that the boys’ basketball and football games are those with the largest crowds. As a result, she too makes the distinction: “That’s not cheerleading being sexist… that’s a reflection of our society being sexist,” McDaniel said. To best explore the line drawn between the origins of a problem and its manifestations, one must look back into cheerleading’s history. Cheer, interestingly enough, was founded as a male sport in the 1860’s. What began as predominantly male Princeton and Rutgers University students rebelling against their professors, soon became an extracurricular activity in which these students yelled in unison to rally the crowd during sports games. This so-called “Yell Squad” was composed of six students who eventually developed the very first cheer fraternity with hopes of getting their university’s football team out of their losing streak. This concept spread to Texas A&M in
McDaniel
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MARCH 2017
ow, be physically fit, with, an athletic alongside her teammates, has creatphysique.” The “Don’t” section advised ed what she calls a “family.” Claiming against “Visible tattoos, nude lips, disthat cheerleading’s only effect is that it tracting fingernail polish, tops that cover promotes sexist ideals erodes in validthe midriff.” ity when such a statement is made by Most other sports don’t have anything a cheerleader herself. resembling a guide such as this. Some McDaniel further questions the lewould point out, however, that most gitimacy of these previous arguments other sports don’t get judged based on by emphasizing feminism’s infamous the visual appeal of their roupillar that values freedom of choice. tines, therefore giving reason A recent Paly-centric issue regarding behind the heightened attention placed on looks. In addition, regarding the tight uniforms, there is a safety issue at hand when people are being tossed -Hillary McDaniel into the air; loose or oversized clothing makes it harder for them to be caught cheer challenged the motives beor correctly launched. Looking at othhind “Football Buddies”, the cheer er forms of dance also strengthen this and dance teams’ tradition of bakpoint; ballroom dancing, one of the least ing treats for athletes for after their controversial forms of dance, places a games, insinuating that it reinforces a lot of attention on the outfits, simply to perception of females’ role as submisintensify the visual appeal. As argued, sive and simply supportive of males. the same attitude should be applied to Aside from the fact that Football Budcheerleading. dies is not mandator y, Paly’s cheer squad captain Sydney McDaniel reiterBader (‘17) states that cheer is a source of confidence for her. Seeing the finished routines and working to achieve virtual perfection of them
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ates not only its innocence, but inversely, its empowering abilities. “What I think is really sexist is taking away the option [of both Football Buddies and the cheer program in general].. making people feel bad for doing what they love and enjoy. Feminism should really be about choice, and being able to have all the options available.” Among all the commotion, many people tend to either forget and d i s re g a rd the cheer t e a m ’ s needs, or try to compensate for the alleged sexism it promotes and deliberately disrespects them. This issue is prominent day to day for the duration of the season. Here at Paly, the cheer team has been faced with many obstacles that they have been forced to deal with simply because they are not considered a sport, despite their time and dedication to their activity. Due to the construction for the new gym, the cheerleaders have been struggling to find a location to practice in on campus. The current solution is placing them in the student center; they practice nearly every day in place that is both unequipped to host a n
If you have a criticism of it, be nice, be constructive, be helpful,be supportive,ask questions rather than make assumptions.
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entire
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cheer squad, and one that exposes them to rude remarks from other people that want to use it for their own events. McDaniel is forced to work with two varsity teams, and only one appropriately designated room; an unprecedented situation for Paly athletic teams. Other issues that they face include the coach’s pay gaps. McDaniel, the sole coach for both year round teams, gets paid approximately $2000 less per season than a standard high school football coach, who typically also has just over half of the participants to handle on the team. Similarly, there seems to be a general lack of respect when it comes to viewing
marks” coming even from teachers. Yes, cheer may be one of the more controversial activities promoted by the school, but it contributes just as much to the school time-wise and student participation-wise; in theory, the effort put into the activity should defensibly be paramount when considering compensation and respect. The goal for the Paly cheer team is to be supportive and uplift spirits of fans and players during games; as McDaniel describes it, the role of the cheer team is two-folded; it is meant to both increase team spirit, and learn their routines, taking great athletic ability. Fundamentally, these routines require a combination of
these issues were even existent a century ago when the sport was run by males; one could attribute that to the weaker attention on feminism at the time, or the evolution of the sport itself. McDaniel makes the assertion that “in a lot of professions that are feminized and a lot of activities that are feminized, we begin to see [the girls’] positions devalued.” When girls do such sports, the emphasis is often on their feminine appearance and they are portrayed as playing a supporting role to males rather than as athletes in their own right. “I wish people knew we were constantly battling these inequities, while still trying to lift school spirit, and so I
Photo courtesy of Madrono Yearbook
cheer. McDaniel highlights the inequities and displays of acrimony in past years: “When I started coaching, people used to throw stuff at the cheerleaders,” she said. To put this into perspective, she asks, “Would you go to a basketball team and throw things at the players?” The answer, hopefully and realistically, is a confident “No.” The fact of the matter is, those who are most likely to criticize cheer for its promotion of dishonorable values have some correlation with those that will ultimately disrespect the participants who are not deserving of it. Some of the cheerleaders have experienced what McDaniel describes as “snide re-
skills, ranging from those consistent with gymnastics, tumbling, balance, and mentally, a lot of trust. Both Bader and McDaniel agree, cheer requires a great deal of focus as to avoid serious injury; “They’re not throwing balls, they’re throwing people and catching them, and you’re literally putting your life and your safety into another person’s hands. That does happen with other full-contact sports… but it certainly does bring it to a whole new level when they’re literally holding you in their hands… you’re depending on other people and the attention and the focus has to be there.” Let us remember again, that none of
guess if you have a criticism of it, be nice, be constructive, be helpful, be supportive, ask questions rather than make assumptions” McDaniel said. Obviously, the issues concerning cheer are wide as they are deep; there are many things to consider from both perspectives, and nothing is purely objective. Cheerleading has faced criticism for years, both in constructive and non-constructive forms. Whether or not cheer reinforces or fights against some of the feminist issues rampant in this country and around the world today McDaniel just has one thing to say: “I think everyone needs a cheerleader.”
MARCH 2017
KILLER ATH Viking details the history and rulings of a few of the most controversial killings in sports history.
AARON HERNANDEZ
Tight end for the New England Patriots Hernandez was indicted for first degree murder in 2013 after the death of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player. Convicted in 2015, Hernandez is currently serving a life sentence in Massachusetts without the possibility of parole. In 2014, Hernandez was indicted for the 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in a drive-by shooting after both men spilled a drink on the former Patriot. The trial is currently underway and various Boston-based publications are providing timely reports. At this time, the murder weapon has been deemed unsuitable for DNA testing, but the prosecution insists that Hernandez was a passenger in the vehicle the shots came from. 32 | T H E V I K I N G |
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O.J. SIMPSON
Former halfback for the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers. After Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown and a man named Ronald Lyle Goldman were found stabbed to death in June of 1994, Simpson was charged with murder and pleaded not guilty. The trial lasted nine months, with the jury finally agreeing that Simpson was not guilty after the glove that was said to have been on the hand of the murderer was revealed to not fit on the accused. Years later, Simpson was found guilty on counts of kidnapping and armed robbery after being arrested in connection with the 2013 robbery of a Las Vegas Hotel Room. Simpson is currently serving a 33 year sentence.
HLETES
OSCAR PISTORIUS
Handicapped Olympic sprinter The former South African Olympian was found guilty for the 2013 killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2014 after months of hearings. Originally, Pistorius was convicted of manslaughter after admitting to shooting Steenkamp four times based on the belief that she was an intruder. The prosecution deemed the murder a purposeful act after the couple got into an arguement in the hours before Steenkamp was killed. The manslaughter ruling was overturned by a higher South African court in July of 2016 and Pistorius was sentenced to six years in prison for murder. Critics have voiced frustration over his sentence, claiming that his celebrity contributed to leniency on behalf of the judge.
by SABRINA HALL and TALIA MALCHIN
AARON RAE HERNANDEZ CARRUTH
WideSport: Receiver football, for the tightCarolina end forPanthers the In 1999, New England Rae Carruth Patriots became the first active NFL Hernandez player to was be convicted indicted offorfirstfordegree murder firstafter degree being murder foundinguilty 2013 ofafter hiring a hitman thetodeath kill his of Odin girlfriend Lloyd, and a semipro unborn child. Carruth’s football girlfriend, player.Cherica Convicted Adams, in 2015, was eight months Hernandez pregnant isat currently the time of serving the shooting, a and though life sentence she diedinin Massachusetts the hospital 28 days after being withoutshot, theshe possibility made theof9-1-1 parole. call alerting emergency In 2014, Hernandez services of was Carruth’s indict-actions immediatly ed for after the 2012 the shooting. killings Her of Daniel son, ChancellordeAdams, Abreu was and Safiro born though Furtadoemergency in a Cesarean drive-by section shooting and currently after both lives men with his grandmother. spilled a drink The disgraced on the former Panther’s Patri- star was arrested ot. The trial on Thanksgiving is currently underway. Day, 500 miles from the scene of the crime, in a trunk of a car surrounded by bottles of his own urine. MARCH 2017
The Grace Hundreds of student athletes transfer schools for a multitude of different reasons every year. After the transfer, many of these athletes are forced to serve a grace period during which they are forced to sit out from their sport. Viking looks into the reasons why athletes should not be pigeonholed into these grace periods.
Text by QUINN KNOBLOCK and WILL STRAUCH Design by SAM GUILLET
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ccording to Central Coast Section standards, high school athletes are required to serve a grace period, in the months or weeks after transferring from another school. These regulations state that an athlete that transfers from another school for the first time must have a sit-out period, or grace period, in which they must sit out from their sport for a month. If a student has a second transfer they are required to sit out the entire season. These periods are in place to prevent students from transferring schools in order to advance their sports performance, but who is to say that transferring schools to play sports is such a bad thing in the first place? Forcing athletes to go through a grace period and miss out on a month or in some cases, their whole season, causes them to miss out on playing the sport that they love. Even if an athlete is trans-
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ferring to pursue their sport, they should not be penalized for trying to be a more competitive player. Numerous student athletes who want to transfer believe it will help them become better at their sport by playing on a team or within a league that provides greater competition. In addition, some student athletes transfer so that they can join a team with a coach who is more knowledgeable about their sport. A coach who knows what they are doing is can be very beneficial to a high school athlete’s career as they can ben-
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efit from more advanced coaching and have guidance from a coach who is experienced in helping student navigate the recruiting process. By causing an athlete to be penalized for transferring schools it may pressure athletes to not transfer schools which could limit the athlete from reaching their full potential. Many people are opposed to having the shorter one month transfer period because they believe it will ruin high school sports. In 2012 the California Interscholastic Federation voted to change
"Since transferring back to Paly was considered my second transfer my sit out period is the whole season" Matilda Kenrick ('17)
Period the transfer period for athletes from the whole season to only the first month of the season. This caused outrage because people believed a lot of athletes would begin to transfer schools in order to improve their athletic performance. This shortened transfer period made people think that teams would begin to stockpile elite athletes which would increase the gap between high level schools and the lower level schools that had the same players all for years. However, the shorter grace period would allow student athletes who transferred schools for reasons other than athletics the ability to sit out for only a month of their season instead of the whole season. Many are frustrated with schools who cause a lot of students to transfer through recruiting in order to build an athletic powerhouse is a large part of the opposition to student transfers. This grace period has affected some students at Paly including senior lacrosse player Matilda Kenrick (‘17). Kenrick spent her junior year abroad in Sweden. When returning back to Paly, Kenrick faced problems with regulations in relation to lacrosse. “When I got back to Paly they would not let me play because I didn’t use an exchange program when I went abroad, therefore it’s the same type of transfer as it would be if I were recruited to Menlo to play lacrosse there,” Kenrick said. Kenrick went on to explain that she
only played for a recreational team in Sweden and it was never her intent to move to Sweden to advance her play, but moreso to see a new culture. “It’s really obvious that I did not go to Sweden to play lacrosse (a country that doesn’t even have the sport).” However, she faced repercussions regardless of her intentions. “For the first transfer there is a sit out period of one month, however since transferring back to Paly was considered my second transfer my sit out period is the whole season; I am however allowed to play JV after one month according to CCS rules, however Paly does not allow seniors playing a JV level sport.” Many students have experienced similar issues while transferring schools. Senior at Pinewood, Amelia Schmarzo, also ran into problems when transferring schools. After her freshman year at Paly, Schmarzo decided that she wanted a smaller school that would give her a more intimate environment and would allow her to try more things than she might normally be able to at a public school; she was also thrilled about the success of the Pinewood girls basketball team, her only sport at the time. “I came for academics, but it helped that they had a great women’s basketball team,” Schmarzo said.
"I think it's fair to sit out like a month or so, just an entire year is ridiculous and unfair in my opinion" Amelia Schmarzo
When Schmarzo went to play for the girls basketball team, it was brought to her attention that she would have to sit out of games for a year and could only practice with the team due to the fact that she was a transfer student. She explained that often suspicion that coaches recruit players which is not condoned, or that players transfer for the sole goal of playing a sport, which can be seen as unfair to other teams. Schmarzo understands the logic behind having a grace period (to prevent star athletes from leaving lower tier schools) but thinks that it is fairly extreme to make athletes sit out for a full season. “I think it’s fair to sit out like a month or so, just an entire year is ridiculous and unfair in my opinion,” Schmarzo said. Athletes should be allowed to transfer schools and continue to play sports because there are too many instances in which students are forced to sit out from their respective sport even when they are not transferring to advance their athletic performance. We believe that even in instances when a student athlete is switching schools to pursue athletics, they should not be forced to sit out from their sport because they are simply trying to get better at their sport, something many students do for academics. This grace period has impacted many athletes who are not trying to switch schools for athletics and it is unfair that they should suffer the same consequences as students who are switching to pursue athletics. Regardless of a student’s reasoning for transferring schools, we believe that athletes should not be faced with a grace period, and should be allowed to continue playing their sport without punishment.
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Photo courtesy of David Hickey
Photo Courtesy of Andrew Richardson
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uhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston in black and white, pumping his chest. Michael Jordan soars through the air after leaping from the free throw line as spectators in the background watch with awe. Brandi Chastain slides on her knees, jersey in hand and muscles tensed, later to be the cover of Sports Illustrated. Every athlete has a defining moment in their career, whether it gives them the name Air Jordan or alters the perception of female athletes on an international stage. For the lucky ones, these moments are eternalized by a photo that speaks to the action, emotion, and passion of the instant. And behind every iconic pho-
tograph is a sports photographer who clicked the shutter button at just the right moment. However, it’s the preparation leading up to the big play that enables a sports photographer to capture the energy of the game, which means it takes more than just one shot to get the perfect picture. According to the Forbes article “What it Takes to be a Top Sports Photographer” by Bailey Brautigan, at Super Bowl 50 over 50,000 pictures were taken by the photographers on the sideline alone. Only about 1,500 of those are distributed to customers to be made into posters and memorabilia. Al Bello, the Chief Sports Photographer for Getty Images and the main subject of the Forbes article, is credited for over 106,000 of Get-
Photo Courtesy of Andrew Richardson
ty’s editorial images. However, despite his immense collection of photographs, Bello is proudest of the quality and not the quantity of his portfolio. “There’s no greater joy than when I can get a photograph surrounded by a hundred other photographers and come away with something different,” Bello said in his interview with Forbes. “‘How can I get a different picture than everyone else?’ If everyone can get a great picture, there would be no great pictures.” In order for Bello to capture a unique moment, the first step is to have the right equipment. The photographers are usually seated far away from the action, and to photograph iconic moments they need a lens capable of zooming in close enough so it seems like the players are in
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Photo courtesy of David Hickey
motion. In addition, the power of the camera is essential. A camera needs to be able to shoot at a moment’s notice with little to no motion blur. To do that the camera needs to be able to take a picture in a fraction of a second. If the picture is not taken at the exact right moment, the photo is not the highest quality the photo can be. The greatest tool to have available besides equipment is experience. Andrew Richardson, a freelance photographer based in Houston, has both. Richardson has had work published by outlets such as ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, and other prestigious publications. He first began photography his freshman year in college, although it didn’t take much to get him hooked. “I think the idea of telling a story was the initial attraction; the whole idea of communicating a significant moment through a single still image was challenging and exciting,” Photo courtesy of David Hickey Richardson said. After first peaking his interest, photograp h y
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became Richardson’s passion. His focus on sports photography came from his love of basketball, which quickly expanded into an ability to shoot for NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, UFC, NCAA games, and more. His love and knowledge of sports is actually one of the things that he uses the most on the job. “When I shoot a football game, I usually have a pretty good idea of what sort of play the offense is going to run,” Richardson said. “Not because I’m an obsessive sports fan, but because I pay attention when I shoot and learn from watching. I know how the clock, and score, and field position, and all of that impact what the team wants to do, and that lets me prepare for where I think the action is going to go.” From his years of experience, Richardson knows what makes a great picture, and one of the tips he stressed the most was the story of the shot. “If your image isn’t telling a story then it’s not a good shot,” Richardson said. “Remember that you get to use your camera to show people things in ways they don’t usually get to see. Don’t settle for shooting at eye level, get high, get low, show people angles that will surprise them.” A good photo always tells a story, sometimes it is a fan in the background, sometimes it is a player’s face or it may even be the referee making a call but they all appeal to something more than just the viewer’s eye. Almost all of Sports Illustrated “Best Sports Photos of all Time” are something beyond just an action shot, they can define the state of a nation. Many times it shows a team winning against all odds and upsetting a top team in college basketball or maybe it is the other way around and it shows a top seed in college basketball losing in a tournament they should have won. Another tactic to appeal to the emo-
Photo Courtesy of Andrew Richardson tions of a viewer is to place the main subjects in front of a powerful background. This helps connect the viewers, most of whom are not athletes, to the photo by using a fan or something that seems more realistic will resonate with the common people. Richardson pointed out the importance of paying attention to the entirety of the field, and not just the players on the field. “Sporting events are filled with great emotions, not just from players, but from coaches and fans too,” Richardson said. “Don’t stop shooting. Just don’t… Watch for those moments of passion and expression, they add context and flavor to the regular action images.” There a few things a photo needs for it to be a great one. An important piece of the photo is to capture the subject’s eyes. Also, if possible, always include the ball it just allows for a better. No great photographer is a “chimper”, someone who is always checking to see how their photos turn out instead of keeping their eyes on the game. Chimpers are not successful for two reasons: they can more easily get injured, and by looking at their camera they are more likely to miss a great shot. Going along with this use your camera as binoculars and keep the camera focused on the subject or ball. For many sports, getting a good angle is important to get a great shot. Photographers use angles to create a deeper meaning behind the shot. Utilizing depth by kneeling or lying down can be impactful, but for fast moving sports it is not a good idea to sacrifice your mobility for a good angle. Hockey and soccer photographers usually stand so they can be ready for anything. However, whenever possible it’s fun to get a photo from angles the fans can’t get. At Palo Alto High School there are multiple photographers capturing the intense moments of Paly sports games. One Paly student, David Hickey (‘19), is constantly attending Paly sports events to capture the games in photos. Hickey started his sports photography career his freshman year in at the Milpitas game. “I started sports photography freshman year, I was playing football, and my mom would be taking photos of all [football] games. . . and then there was a time at the Milpitas game where I asked if I could join her and she gave me a camera before the JV game and I just got hooked on it,” Hickey said.
“Then eventually we got more camera gear until I had my own stuff.” The “perfect” shot can be defined in many different ways, and each photographer has their own personal favorite type of photo. Hickey enjoys photos where he can really capture the emotions the player is going through at that particular moment. “Definitely if I can see their face, if I see their back it kind of ruins the moment,” Hickey said. “Facial expressions during a photo can always be really interesting.” While Hickey is only a student, he has high hopes that his hobby can one day become his profession. “It is something that I have a lot of passion in, but right now it is just a hobby,” Hickey said. Hickey likes to take photos of games where there is a lot of natural light, because it makes the photos he takes much easier to edit. The way the picture turns out is everything to Hickey. “Just seeing the end result knowing that it will take a lot of work, but be really cool just to see what I have created,” Hickey said. However, being a professional photographer is not always as exhilarating as it may seem. In recent years many publications have laid off, or even completely eliminated fulltime employed photographers. In 2013, the Chicago Sun-Times famously cut their entire photo staff, a total of 28 employees. According to the newspaper’s management, the purge was in result of a desired shift towards more online video content. To make up for the loss of photographers on staff, the Sun-Times actually requested their reporters to train in iPhone photography. Many Photo courtesy of David Hickey have criticized the Sun-Times for their decision, in fact is resulted in an abundance of stories published comparing the differences in quality of photos reported by the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times, the two largest newspapers in Chicago. When the Cubs won the World Series last year after a 108-year drought, many were quick to notice the difference in front pages between the Tribune, which
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Photo Courtesy of Andrew Richardson
still employs its own photojournalists, and the SunTimes, which doesn’t. The Tribune featured a post-win action shot of Cubs players leaping in the air, showing the jubilation on the players’ faces. In stark contrast, The SunTimes posted a photo with little to look at besides the players’ bodies, and few all that clear face shots. David Carson, a St. Louis hard to go Post-Dispatch photojournalist tweeted, out and get some “Iconic v Forgetable[sic]” in comparing solid action shots by the Tribune’s cover to the Sun-Times’. simply pointing and clickIt’s hard to dispute the advantages of ing,” Richardson said. “But having photographers on staff, especial- there’s only so much gear can do, ly for a sports magazines where images and the ability to compose, to nail your are vital to tying a story together. How- lighting, to tell a story, is what continues ever, even Sports Illustrated followed in to set the top shelf shooters apart from the Sun-Times’ footsteps, cutting the six the rest of the pack.” photojournalists on staff in 2015. The art of sports photography is one “It was a strategic decision to approach that many may deem as dying. However, photography in a bold new way that will the necessity of good photography goes give us access to more resources around hand in hand with good journalism, and the world and to maintain the standard telling a story via an image will never lose quality that Sports Illustrated fans are value. Without a true photojournalist beused to,” spokesman Scott Novak said hind the lens, the iconic sports photograin an interview with CBS MoneyWatch. phy that encapsulates the games we love “It was really about how do we do even would never exist. more with photography in the most efThe old saying a picture is worth a fective way for our audience in light of thousand words could not be any more the expanding global sports world.” applicable to a situation than it is to This decision was less dramatic than sports photojournalism. Many may say it The Sun-Times’ simply due to the fact is a dying art, but without a good photo that Sports Illustrated had started using the story is lost. The most memorable more images from external sources in instances in games are not remembered the past. According to what Haim Ariav, by the story that was written the next founder of the sports photography com- day but by the photo that captured the pany Glossy Finish by Lifetouch, told CBS play, the celebration, or the loss that News, having staff photographers is ex- summarized the game without any pensive. Not only does a company have words. It may not look hard, but getting to pay for flying photographers around the perfect shot is not just luck, the world, but also the lodging and out- and it takes more than just good side expenses that come along with that equipment. The perfect photo travel. comes with years and years of Overall, more publications are ques- practice and dedication. The tioning the value of on-staff photojour- people behind the lens will nalists as technology advances. Rich- always be overlooked, but ardson argues that technology isn’t all a never forget they are the photo is. ones that make the story “The simple fact is that digital gear has and eternalize the Photo Courtesy of David Hickey become so advanced that it is no longer moment. 40 | T H E V I K I N G | w w w . v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m
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Lost In The Sauce By ryan chang, ben cleasby, and Dillon scheel
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he rules in amateur and professional sports often have rules preventing athletes from wearing apparel that separates themselves from their competition. However, it’s clothing and style that makes an athlete an individual rather than just another player. Sometimes athletes use this style to express themselves and make statements. Like when Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams wore pink for a whole season in honor of his mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer. He wore pink cleats and even dyed his dreadlocks pink. With the argument that players should only wear their team colors, the NFL continuously fined Williams for a whole season. Athletes continue to wear specific clothes and have specific styles to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, despite these confining rules.
Bryce Harper
After entering the MLB in 2012, Bryce Harper has risen to superstar status. That being said, Harper loves to make himself noticeable by wearing different arm sleeves, wrist tape, and even customized cleats. He plays with passion and his style of play is easily recognizable by anyone who watches. He is a symbol for individualism within his domain.
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Deangelo Williams
A hand towel, striped socks, color rush cleats and shoes, and his signature element: the pink dreads. Williams was trying to make statement to raise brest cancer awareness in honor of his mother, but the NFL took that opportunnity away. Still one thing remains true: after nine years in Carolina, Williams brought his swag along with him to Pittsburgh.
allen iverson
Allen Iverson was one of the most recognizable players to ever step on a basketball court. Not only do people recognize his signature crossovers, but they also recognize his illustrious headband. He was never afraid to show his true colors. Iverson displayed his confidence and swagger every time he stepped on the court. With his play and fashion.
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Athletes WHO PLAY
CLUB Many high school athletes are involved in both high school sports and club sports. Viking looks in to the main differences between the two.
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by LAUREN DANIEL, YUE SHI and MATAN ZIV
n the beginning of February, Mary Fetter (‘19) begins her school season at Palo Alto High School as she dives into the pool with her classmates. Throughout the season they train and work together to showcase Paly’s swimming skills. Starting in late April, she switches scenery as she starts yet another competitive club season, lasting until the school season next year. Club sports and high school sports have been in coexistence for many years. Despite few obvious similarities, the two are actually very different. Clubs sports tend to be more competitive and focus more on individual development while high school sports are usually geared more toward team success. Most students who play a sport play it for both their school and their club, but some students only play one or the other. On the other hand, some clubs prohibit their athletes from playing school sports due to risk of injury or simply that the club team play year round. There are some sports, like football, that only allow players to play for their school when they reach high school. Most club teams encourage students to play at their school because school teams ensure that the athletes maintain their skills throughout the season. Most athletes who play high school and club sports only play one at a time due to the large time commitment and opposite “in season” schedules. Fetter swims year round, for Paly in the spring and for Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics (PASA) the rest of
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the time. When swimming with PASA, Fetter swims for about 20 hours a week. She believes that club swimming is more focused on the individual aspect, while high school swimming is more focused on the team. “At [club] meets we mostly compete as individuals, not trying to score points for the team, so more of a focus on swimming fast,” Fetter said. “High school season is much more of a team aspect, trying to win the meet as a team and less about the times you go.” School teams focus more on team bonding, and the relationship between players is crucial for a team to succeed. B e c a u s e of this, softball player Sydney Liu (‘19) feels as though she is closer to people on her school team. “We’re more likely to have common friends, common teachers, and common interests which provides a lot to talk about,” Liu said, “I’m able to see my teammates around campus and not just on the softball field whereas on my
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club team everybody comes from all around the Bay Area and we only see each other during practices and games.” Between homework and practices, managing time can be difficult for student athletes. Club sports often offer travel tournaments that overlap with school. Meanwhile, high school teams have games scheduled during classes. For Fetter, managing time during her school swimming season is much easier than during club because the coaches are more aware of her school schedule, while she often has to miss school for club meets. Liu also finds it tougher to manage her time while in club softball season. “I spend hours a week traveling to practice and then hours more actually practicing, often times leaving me staying up really late at night trying to cram in all my work,” Liu said. For softball, clubs usually don’t play during spring season which gives players a chance to relax and have fun during school season. “Club teams don’t play during the
“High school season is much more of a team aspect, trying to win the meet as a team and less about the times you go.” -Mary Fetter (‘19)
spring in order to allow the players to represent their high school teams,” Liu said. However, sometimes athletes are not able to play for their club and school teams because they often times don’t conflict with each other. Many clubs want their players to be able to participate in their school season. The rise of year round club sports may be causing young athletes to specialize too early. “When my dad was a kid, basically everyone just did high school sports and played three sports over the three seasons. Now people are far more specialized in their sport which is more intense,” Fetter said. According to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center website, specializing in one sport too early increases the chance for injury later on. Focusing on one sport too early leads to overuse injuries because kids are repeatedly using the same mus-
cle groups instead of using different muscles by playing multiple sports. For most sports, one major difference between the two is that club teams tend to be more competitive than school teams. Liu agrees with this. “When you play club sports, you play against teams from all around the west coast, and sometimes even the c o u n t r y,” Liu said. “For high school, you typi c a l l y play with t e a m s f r o m around the Bay Area and only with schools in your division, so you mostly get a taste for teams who play at the same level as you.” Some players find it hard to choose between playing for their high school, or on a club team. When asked which one she prefers, Liu answered after a short period of hesitance, “I can’t choose because I really enjoy both.” Fetter replied similarly, “they are so different that I can’t choose.” The pros and cons of playing each
“No matter if I’m playing club or high school softball, my passion for the game remains the same.” -Sydney Liu (‘19)
are obvious. Club sports provide a perspective that can build a skillful player. The setup and games are generally more serious. The league for club softball is larger compared to school teams. “I play club ball to give me the chance to play year-round and get the opportunity to face some of the better teams around the west coast,” Liu said. Nevertheless, with the seriousness, the fun aspect of the sport can be minimized. During practice, the team focuses on winning the game. The school season, which many athletes look forward to, is only once a year. “It is a special feeling to represent your high school.” Liu said. Interactions with teammates can lead to more chemistry on a team, which is more frequent on a school team. “My teammates also always make me feel more confident with their positive attitudes and I don’t think I have laughed more than I have at our practices and bonding events,” Liu said. Even though a lot of school teams do not have the competitiveness, it can be a relaxing break from the club ball season. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether an athlete is playing for their school or for a club; their love for the sport is apparent. “No matter if I’m playing club or high school softball, my passion for the game remains the same,” Liu said.
Photos courtesy of Mary Fetter
Photo courtesy of Sydney Liu
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Let us
paly madrono 2016-17
KNOW... The Madrono staff [you know, those guys ^] would love to hear from YOU: • Have an idea for something we should cover? Let us know! • Take a cool photo we might want to put in the book? Let us know! • Interested in joining us on the staff next year? Let us know! • Want to just see how the yearbook is put together? Let us know!
Stop by MAC 104 during 6th period and say hello! or email us at: madronoyearbook@gmail.com
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The Final Word... A Look Back
by BEN CLEASBY and PETER SNODGRASS
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s prophets, we were called upon to turn this magazine around. And as law abiding citizens, we decide not to light this class on fire and mold our class from the ashes, but instead we slowly extended our tentacles and suffocated the class with our tender love and optimism. When we entered this class, the Paly athletic department had a deep amount of debt. As we leave this class, Paly’s athletic department will be closing in on running a surplus and will add two new sports teams. Previous to entering the class, the Viking Magazine was in a major deficit. Now, we are in a minor deficit. Before we entered this class, Boys’ and Girls’ swimming had never placed in the top five at States before. After we entered this class, both of them had done so. Prior to our engagement to this class, the Chicago Cubs had not one a world series in 108 years. After our engagement in this class, the Cubs won a World Series. Long story short, we were the best thing to ever happen to this magazine and this school, but don’t worry, we have developed a list of ideas that we believe will be most beneficial for Paly in the upcoming years (without us).
For the past six months, our readers have followed our outrageousness and general love for life. We’ve written about some topics so outrageous that we have received hate mail, fan mail, and even had to issue restraining orders against our stalkers. Unfortunately, our reign is coming to an end. Don’t worry too much, however, because we plan to reminisce on the memories made in this class and the effects we have had on the magazine. Here’s the advice: The Peery Center
Similar to protocol of the 2000’s and early 2010’s, the Peery Center should be open to students to come and go freely throughout their school day. The weight room should be open, luring in kids to pump the iron and get huge. The basketball court should be an open gym creating a legacy a teams to reach state finals every year (#eyesonstate). The training room should be a safe space, where students can go get treatment and enjoy the kindness and joy of the staff. Finally, the locker rooms should be a welcome sight for all kids who need a midday shower or even a nice clean place to take a bathroom break.
Bring Back Powder Puff
Arguably the most important advice that we can give is it is time for us to bring back powderpuff football. Outlawed since the Class of 2017’s freshman year, powderpuff is a staple of american society and tradition. While it does not include all genders, the historical point of powderpuff is to be inclusive and allow stressed out high schoolers have fun. Paly should look to bring back powderpuff in a inclusive format to include all genders. This way, one of the nation’s greatest traditions can be celebrated.
More Fans at Sporting Events
Nothing is more hyped than when a Paly sporting event has a huge showing of fans. Remember the Paly Senior Night/Homecoming game against Los Gatos in which Paly lost by a lot? Well, according to super fan Steven Marinkovich, it was his favorite football game he has ever attended because the fans got so hyped. How about the Paly-Gunn basketball games (back when Gunn was actually good at sports)? These are games that everyone attends because they are so hyphy. Imagine if we made every sporting event like this; one where baseball has a crowd of 60 hecklers, lacrosse has a crowd of 50 devotees, and volleyball has 30 groupies. Make Paly sports great again.
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