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Sports team traditions within our school
WHS athletes explain team traditions
HANNAH LOGIUDICE
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staf writer
The WHS athletic program includes 27 sports teams. Many of these teams have traditions that the team does every year. These traditions differ based on the teams, but overall, these traditions help to establish a sense of community within the team. At WHS, the girls lacrosse team has a tradition of wearing ribbons in their hair and writing a word on their arms during games. According to Ella Smucker (12) each player is responsible for supplying a ribbon for at least one game, so by the end of the year, each girl has a ribbon for each game. Many of the players choose to keep those ribbons on their lacrosse bags meaning that as a senior they have ribbons that span their entire WHS career. This tradition gives seniors a thing to look at and remember the time spent on the team. When looking at this tradition and what it means to her, Smucker (12) says, “Our ribbons aren’t just a fun tradition, they bring us all together, they give us something to look back on from every game.” In addition to wearing ribbons, the team is given a word to help motivate the team before the game by the head coach Holly Pope. This word can be anything and is meant to represent a specific element which the players should be focusing on during the game. The boys swim team has the tradition of bleaching their hair and then eventually shaving their heads and everything else before big meets. According to Caleb Kostohryz (10), the boys swim team gets together before NEACs and bleaches their hair. Although it is not required, it is tradition that many of the boys participate in. When looking at how bleaching their hair builds team camaraderie, Kostohryz (10) says, “I feel like it promotes good team bonding and brings us together.” Swimmers then wait until sectionals when they traditionally shave their heads, legs and sometimes arms. Kostohryz says this tradition was created in an attempt to improve times at important meets, as shaving all the hair off their bodies is supposed to reduce drag in the water and improve times. Whether shaving has an actual effect on times is pretty much unknown, but the tradition of doing so can have an effect on the team mentality. The tradition of these sports teams do not occur within the time of a single class or coach. The traditions are passed on by upperclassman to incoming freshman in an attempt to foster a community within each team.
New Year’s resolutions: Individuals set fi tness goals
MOLLY BYRNE
staf writer Setting New Year’s resolutions is a common practice for many people and some of the most popular goals to set are related to fi tness. Of those people who make resolutions, 95% of them, according to Alexandra Parren’s of sundried.com, claim they are related to fi tness. Mike Sullivan, History Dept. member and AP Psychology teacher, said he has set a fi tness goal for 2022. “I want to lose at least 10 pounds a month and start working out twice a day, in the mornings at 5 a.m. and at night, go running,” Sullivan said. Even students at WHS have created fi tness goals for themselves for the new year. Andrew Glasgow (12), a member of the WHS swim, soccer and lacrosse teams, is one of these students. “I want to cut my calorie intake down from 4,200 to 3,200 per day, as well as cutting out sugary drinks. I would also like to work out for two to three hours per day,” Glasgow said. While many people set fi tness goals for the new year, athletes can set goals to help them with their particular sport, like Alivia Thorley (12), a member of the WHS gymnastics team. “I would like to strengthen my cardio through running to help with my fl oor routine,” Thorley said. While staying active all year in order to stay healthy is very important, setting specifi c goals in areas that you personally want to work can be more motivating and can help to keep individuals accountable.
WHS staf reminisce on Ashland University coach Jud Logan’s life
NORA LEVY
staf writer Earlier this month, historic track coach Jud Logan died. As a former Olympian and an Ashland University Track and Field coach, Jud Logan had a great impact on his athletes and everyone who crossed his path. Doug Bennett, WHS boys track coach and Music Dept. member, said he remembers Logan’s enthusiasm while coaching at track meets. Bennett’s memories center around Jud’s joy when coaching, Bennett explained, “...if he [Jud] could have been in the thrower circle with his athletes, he would have been.” Bennett also noted the joy that coach Logan had for his stage in the gym onto the pole vault mats, we both had it down,” Mascotti said. Mascotti credits Logan for helping her improve her long jumps. She also referenced her seventh place finish at the state track meet that year and explained that “I am certain he played a key role in that success.” Ashland Athletic Director Al King stressed Logan’s positivity and energy. “He would light up a room when he walked into it. . . He [Logan] didn’t have “down,” days very often. The bigger the challenge, the more inspired Jud became,” King said. Not only did Logan inspire others, but he was also an active force in the Ashland community. King shared that his team would help at the Hospice Corn Roast every year. The Logan County Foundation also donated to help fund a playground for special needs children. Logan’s impact can be felt by those who interacted with him. Ryan Smith, a General’s Academy Social Studies teacher, was a sprinter when he was recruited to compete at Ashland University. After an injury, Smith asked to compete in throwing and said that Logan welcomed him with open arms. Smith remembers Logan’s ability to make everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room. “His disarming kindness brought everyone together more than anything,” Smith said. After Smith was hired as the throwing coach at Edgewood, Logan allowed Smith to come back to Ashland to watch practice and brush up on his throwing techniques so Smith could do his best as a coach. “He would never tell anybody no if they needed help,” Smith said. Smith expressed why Jud Logan was so impactful in his athlete’s lives. “With Jud it was just the way he treated everyone…I always felt valued and I know that’s how it was with everybody,” said Smith. Jud Logan was the type of coach every athlete wanted to learn from and the type of person everyone wanted to know.
athletes and his passion for the sport. Chris Mascotti-Rasor, WHS girls track coach and Math Dept. member, had a great experience with coach Logan at a track camp in which he coached her in long jump. Mascotti-Rasor emphasized that Logan cared about the athletes beyond their sport. She also remembered his personality, saying, “What made him special is how friendly and personable he was. He also had a great sense of humor,” Mascotti said. Mascotti specifically recalls when Logan decided to teach her and another camper how to hitch kick at the Malone Track and Field camp. “After about an hour of jumping off of their old side
Photos snapshot WHS sports in action
SHERIDAN SCHAUER Micah McKee (12) puts up a layup against Lexington on Jan. 4.
SHERIDAN SCHAUER Grace Grey (11) passes ball to teammate during a home win against West Holmes.
ASHTON DUNLAP Tommy Hansen (10) competes in a quad meet against Perry, Firestone, and Glenoak.
Refl ecting on societal and familial pressures to have children
DELANEY WILSON
feature editor
Many of my classmates and I can recall being told that as we get older, our desire to have children will change, or once we get married, we will want to have children. The pressure to have children may be true for some, but it is time to accept that the desire to have children will never change for some, despite family members telling younger women otherwise. A lot of this pressure comes from family, who may be concerned about the family line continuing, or they just do not know better. Regardless of their intent, relatives and older people in our lives should be more conscious of the fact that some people simply do not want to have children, and that the pressure from family members can often make women and girls feel disrespected. Child free by choice is exactly what it sounds like: not having children because people do not want to, not for health or financial reasons for example, and it seems to be more and more popular around Millenials and Gen Z. These are the generations who grew up with a high divorce rate among their parents’ generations and these generations will be the ones contending with issues such as climate change, continued political polarization and the continuation of the pandemic. While all of these reasons are legitimate, simply not wanting children should be reason enough. No one should have to take on the massive responsibility of raising a child if it is not something that they truly want and can provide for, as that could cause problems for both parent and child, regardless of societal and familial pressure. Generational problems are also a contributing factor for many people deciding they do not want to have children.
Many physical and mental health issues have a genetic component, and many feel that potentially passing on these challenges would not be fair to do. Regardless of the reason, older generations will need to accept the fact that many people do not want children for any number of reasons. Talking with family members who struggle to understand the decision to be childfree could be beneficial in helping them understand why one would make this decision and why the decision to remain childfree is becoming more popular among younger generations. While people may never understand why one would want to be childfree, it could be a springboard for conversations and limit comments about being childfree.
How social media contributes to the sexualization of children
MOLLY SNYDER
feature editor In the past couple of years, millions of people have gotten access to social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Tiktok, many of whom are under the age of 18. There are a litany of issues that can stem from having unrestricted access to the internet at a young age, but one of the most prominent and, frankly, overlooked problems would be the sexualization of minors hidden behind a thin veil of sex positivity. Do not mistake this article for being against sex positivity, but everything has a specific context in which it is acceptable. Pushing the idea that everyone should want to be sexy or sexually appealing onto minors who are as young as 12 or 13 years old is incredibly damaging. This push blurs the line between being self confident and being a victim of grooming and pedophilia. Especially on platforms like Tiktok, many trends are provocative in nature and should not be done by minors. If a minor does participate in a promiscuous trend, it is not their fault if they are sexualized. However, if they purposefully sexualize themselves, they are opening themselves to predators online, which there is no shortage of. In any context of oversexualization, minors are not at fault. Adults who are pushing these children to wear revealing clothing, to do sexual dances, or to describe themsleves as sexy are to blame. Many minors do not realize how damaging their actions are online, and it can, and will, bleed into their actual lives. If they are told that they should embrace their sexuality at 12 or 13, they may believe that they are mature enough to be in relationships with significantly older people, only further normalizing pedophilia in soceity. One thing that has made this phenomenon worse has been the glamorization of the sex work industry that has been advertised to minors on social
side to the industry, something many young people do not see until they get into the industry. Many people who are 16 or 17 plan to go into sex work as soon as they turn 18, sometimes when they are still in high school. This glamorization effectively creates an incredibly dangerous space for these people as predators still perceive them as underage or barely of age, meaning exploitation and abuse can run rampant. Social media has failed minors, and children who simply want to have fun online, adults and even fellow minors have forced sexuality on young people. This issue needs to be addressed and combatted now. We need to let kids be kids and educate people about the dangers of growing up too fast.
THE WOOSTER
BLADE
Editors-in-Chief Ashton Dunlap, Luke Pomfret Webmaster Ashton Dunlap Graphics Manager Grace Brownson Business Manager Delaney Wilson Head Photographer Rumen Zdravchev A & E Editor Lexxe Parsons, Laura Rapport Cover Editor Lucia Perfetti Feature Editor Molly Snyder, Grace Brownson Focus Editor Sheridan Schauer, On Campus Editor Hannah LoGiudice, Delaney Wilson Sports Editor Theo Ollier, Jhon Fajardo Trends Editor Olivia Hiner Views Editor Brittany Wachtel Staf Writers Mattie Dunlap, Molly Byrne, Chloe Frichtl, Ben Stavnezer, Nora Levy, Sophia Mera, Stella Powers, Trent Kuzma, Grace Kostohryz, Anika Ellis, Maya Galindo-Benson, Bailey Messner Artists Grace Brownson Cover Artist Charlotte Kille Photographers Grace Brownson, Hannah LoGiudice, Rumen Zdravchev, Ashton Dunlap, Ben Stavnezer, Brittany Wachtel, Nora Levy, Delaney Wilson, Sheridan Schauer, Molly Snyder, Maya Galindo-Benson, Molly Byrne Adviser Kristi Hiner The Wooster Blade is a biweekly student publication printed every other Friday by the Newspaper Production classes at Wooster High School. The Wooster Blade is designated as an open forum and follows publishing guidelines as established by district-wide publications policy protecting students’ freedom of expression. All copy, art and photography are property of The Wooster Blade and cannot be reproduced without permission. Letters to the editor are limited to 300 words and The Wooster Blade reserves the rights to print and edit as per length and content. The Wooster Blade is a member of Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Letters and inquiries should be addressed to The Wooster Blade, 515 Oldman Road Wooster, Ohio 44691. The Wooster Blade can be contacted at 330-3454000 ext. 3210. The newspaper can also be found at thewoosterblade.com
THE VOICE OF WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL
OUR VIEW Phone usage in WHS bathrooms spark discussion
The bathrooms at WHS have become a hot topic amongst the student body. In the fall of 2021, a TikTok trend called “Devious Licks” encouraged students to steal and vandalize their school’s bathrooms and other facilities. At WHS, the instances of vandalism were becoming so common that the doors to all bathrooms were to remain open during the school day as an attempt to catch those vandalizing the bathrooms. Since then, a new issue has arisen in the bathrooms. A social media account was created that shows pictures of students using the restroom by only showing their legs. Now students worry that going to the bathroom during the school day could result in a photo of them being posted on social media. A poll was conducted on Jan 11, 2022, that focused on students’ issues with the bathrooms. For the poll, 155 total students were surveyed. The survey found that 26.8 percent of students polled do not use the restroom at school. The most common answer as to why students do not use the restroom at school is because students say they are scared of ending up on social media. Of the students polled, 67.3 percent said they do not like having the bathroom doors open. One freshman says, “I’m uncomfortable [in the bathroom] with open doors and gendered restrooms.” A senior says that having the bathroom doors open, “feels weird because you can see in.” Eric Vizzo, WHS school principal, says, “The opening of the door, from what I have heard, has slowed a lot of issues in the bathroom, especially the vandalism because it becomes more obvious when the door is open. The door is not open just for people to walk by and look in…I think each bathroom has a good layout that you’re not really able to see people actually using the restroom.” Students that like having the bathroom doors open helps alleviate some of the issues. A sophomore says, “It [having the doors open] limits running into being enclosed with someone violating the rules or other people.” Out of those polled, only 11.8 percent of students claim that they reported any situations in the bathroom that violated school policies, while 43.8 percent mentioned having seen said violations. Under Section 2917.21 of the Ohio Revised Code (1), the policy states, “No person shall… make the telecommunication with purpose to harass, intimidate, or abuse any person at the premised to which the telecommunication is made, whether or not actual communication take places between the caller and recipient.” Wooster City School District Policy also states, “cyberbullying and other unlawful or inappropriate activities by students online, and unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personally identifable information regarding minors’ ‘is subject to punishment by the superintendent and principal.” School Resource Ofcer April Teichmer suggests that if students fnd someone who has posted a picture of them without permission, contact the source and ask them to take it down. If the source does not take down the photo, the student should alert WHS administration and potentially fle a civil suit against the account owner. Vizzo encourages students if they see something, say something. “These reports are kept anonymous when we speak to the student causing the issue. A student can make a report to any WCSD staf or substitute teacher. By reporting something it allows us to investigate and get the whole story. Working together to keep WHS clean & safe is a responsibility of each of us,” Vizzo said.
The Wooster Blade Editorial Board
encourages students that if they see something taking place in the restroom that violates school policy, say something and report it. The frst step to solve the problems in the bathrooms begins with student action and enforcing what should not happen in the bathroom.
WHS Students responses from a poll conducted on Jan. 11
“[Having the bathroom doors open] is an invasion of privacy.” -Freshman “It limits running into being enclosed with someone violating the rule or other people.” -Sophomore
