February 2014

The ROYAL NEWS Volume XII Issue

Prince George H.S. - 7801 Laurel Spring Rd. Prince George, VA 23875 - www.trnwired.org -February 14, 2014

Setting the

Record

p. 8 TEACHERS SHARE LOVE LANGUAGES p. 7 AFTER PROM FUND RAISING TAKES OFF p. 21 ATHLETES SHARE NEW PROSPECTIVE p. 15 WRESTLER RIC FLAIR COMES TO PG

2 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

op/ed

Flappy Bird Tops App Charts

the RoyalNews

F

O

ur mission as the school newspaper for Prince George High School is to provide a form of media that represents all aspects of student life. The goal is to present factual accounts of newsworthy events in a timely manner. Our publication will be informative, entertaining and reflective of the student body’s opinions. It is the desire of the staff to reach every student and tell as many of their stories as possible.

We invite your commentary: The Royal News Opinion page is a forum for public discussion and shall be open to all students. The Royal News will print as many letters as space will allow. The Royal News reserves the right not to print a letter. The Royal News publishes a wide variety of opinions. Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, The Royal News, PGHS, 7801 Laurel Spring Road, Prince George, Virginia 23875, or bring them to room A4, or e-mail them to trnwired@ gmail.com We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, legality, spelling and grammar.

Please include your name, address and phone number. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. 500 word maximum.

Thank you for the support this year. Please continue to communicate on trnwired.org.

Illustration by Anthony Sudol.

Budget Plan May Cut Elective Classes

Section Editors

O

Front page: Danielle Marshall-Op/Ed: Carolina Bae-News: Christina Buckles-Features: Mallory Cox-Doubletruck: Sarah Daniel-A&E : Debra ThomasSports: Devan Fishburne-Photo Editor/Distribution and Events: Tiana Kelly-Business & Ad Editor: Deborah Gardner -Online Editor-in-Chief: Lindsay Pugh

Hannah Zuloaga-April Buckles-Daniel PuryearAustin Britt-Alexis Stewart-Ryan Albright-Travis Temple-Kadera Brown-Qadirah MonroeSamantha Daniel-Ronald Dayvault-Abigail Faircloth-Nathan Williams-Madison Strang-Hydeia Nutt-Reeve Ashcraft-Ebony Gilchrist-Ian Kelty

Editor-in-Chief Courtney Taylor

Business Manager Deborah Gardner

Managing Editor Danielle Marshall

Adviser

Chris Waugaman

Professional affiliations & awards Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2008-2012 Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Crown Winner 2013 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2006-2013 Col. Charles Savedge Award for Sustained Excellence 2010 SIPA All Southern 2008-2013

The Royal News, PGHS trnwired.org & trnsports.org

7801 Laurel Spring Road Prince George, Virginia 23875 804-733-2720 The Royal News is printed at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia

Editorial

Writers

n Jan. 28, as most students were watching the clock anticipating their early release and what looked to be a few days out of school.

The newspaper students were in a rush to assign all the writers their stories so that deadlines could still be met. It was the responsibility of our writers to make sure their assignments were done even if they were out of school, because the paper is scheduled to come out today.

As Scholastic Journalism Week approaches, media students come to appreciate journalism history and what has been done to lead the classes to where they are today. Through the efforts of many in the past, nearly 100 Prince George High School students are enjoying the benefits of a journalism class this year.

By being a part of a high school student journalism class, there are many lessons that can be learned. Meeting a deadline, even with unforeseen circumstances, is only one of them. Other skills can include teamwork, creativity, leadership, and interview skills. These skills are not frequently learned in a class outside of electives, but can carry on and lead to great success in the future.

Whereas the journalism students benefit from the actual class, the

remaining student body also benefits from the media classes. The school receives relevant news about what is going on around them and can hear solid, reliable facts, unlike the rumors throughout the hallways.

As the economy falls, the education budget follows. As a result, the number of teachers hired lessens, meaning teachers are slowly becoming restricted to teaching only the required classes for students.

Long story short, talk of cutting electives has broken out. This problem has been seen in areas across the nation. In Illinois, two award winning journalism classes have been cut due to budget cuts.

Understandably, cuts will be made in the years to come, but it would be a true loss to the school if journalism classes were cut. An idea, rather, would be to allow some classes, like the finance classes, to be taken online. By allowing students to take classes online, teachers will be relieved of courses that need to be taught. Students would also have the opportunity to take another class while in school that they are no longer required to fit in their schedule. By opening up slots in the schedule, students can fill the elective classes that have a lot of lessons to be learned but are more difficult to fit in.

lap. Flap. Swoosh. Crash.

That is what Flappy Bird users are hearing in their minds while I look upon them and just hear tap, tap, tap and see the frustration on their faces when that bird fails to go through the pipes.

Flappy Bird had recently topped the charts for most downloaded free apps in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, but as of Feb. 10, the creator has removed it from Carolina Bae the app stores due to unknown reasons. Since then, numerous imitations and similar games have come about.

Instead of blindly judging this game, I decided to give it a try. Guess how many times it took for me to delete this app from my phone. Fifty? Too high.

Ten? Still too high. Three. It took me three rounds of this bird crashing at the first set of pipes to uninstall this game.

Why did I give up so quickly? I just knew that in the near future, I would spend too much of my time getting frustrated, and it would become another source of procrastination I do not need.

Games are for relaxing and taking my mind off of the stressful task I am dealing with at the moment. They should not be sources of frustration, nor should I want to enjoy that frustration.

Maybe I was too quick to judge.

I’m sure there is satisfaction when you finally achieve a new personal best, but there is too much risk of becoming addicted and ultimately wasting more time than I already do.

Now, I am not saying that everyone who enjoys the spunky, yellow bird wastes time or is addicted, but I have read too many reviews of people who state that the game is such an addiction, it creates anger, and it is ultimately annoying, but they still choose to give it a five star rating and play it for hours.

For them I say, get your primary work done first, then reward yourself with a few rounds. Or take the extreme route and save your eyes and mental stability by just deleting the game and never look back.

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 3

op/ed

Should Home Schoolers Be Allowed To Participate In Public School Sports?

Currently in Virginia, home schooled children are not allowed to participate in sports and competitive activities governed by the Virginia High School League. Is this a fair policy? Does it discriminate against home schoolers?

A

controversial question around Virginia is: should home schoolers be allowed to play in public school sports. With the Tebow Bill floating around, many people think that those students should not participate because they do not attend their government funded district public high school. They think that school athletic funds should only be used for the students who are attending the school, and not for home schoolers.

People do not realize that home schoolers miss out on the benefits of high school sports. According to a study by the Journal of School Health, school based sports help with weight control, self esteem, social competence, and academic achievement.

Students who are home schooled should be able to participate in sports provided by public schools and if they are American citizens, they have the right to participate in any organization or school that has athletic teams that the government funds to keep alive.

Everybody has a choice to attend public school, but many people do not know the reason behind why many families choose home schooling for their child’s source of education. Many families have chosen home schooling because of family issues, jobs, and other reasons like bullying. Parents have a need to provide their students with a safer environment. Another reason is a lot of families have parents who have jobs that require them to move all the time like the military.

They have decided instead of making the child continue switching school that they would home school them to make the transition easier. Students should not be penalized for wanting to play a sport they love at their local high school.

Even though many public high schools are currently overcrowded and have limited space on sports teams, all home schooled students should be allowed to participate in any sport they choose no matter the reason as long as they meet the qualifications that the high school requires for them to participate.

PRO CON Alexis Stewart

Austin Britt

“...they have a right to participate in any organization or school that has athletic teams...” “...Sports are a privilege that home schoolers forfeit because of their choice to opt out of public schools...”

“...Students should not be penalized for wanting to play a sport they love at their local high school...”

“...The setbacks are far less for home schoolers because they can just move to a new school...”

I

n today’s world of overcrowded schools and lack of coaches and funding, high school sports are a complex activity to organize. Due to the introduction of the “Tim Tebow Bill” around the country, high schools are having an even more difficult task of putting on such events because of the addition of local home school students to their teams.

Out of the country’s 50 states, 29 of them currently allow home schoolers access to public school’s athletic teams. While it may seem that they should not be discriminated against, they are indirectly discriminating themselves if investigated closer.

All students have the option of taking advantage of free public education. Under state guidelines, there are requirements to participating in extracurricular activities such as clubs, organizations, and sports.

Sports are a privilege that home schoolers forfeit because of their choice to opt out of public schools. Home schoolers’ arguments that they are being discriminated against is illogical and misconceived.

If home schoolers are allowed to participate in high school sports, then they are telling the government that they play by their own rules.

On top of the blatant disregard for government guidelines, the additional athletes will increase the burden on coaches, players, and the school’s athletic funding. This law would necessitate increased funding of the high school’s athletic programs. Although the possibility of better teams are a plus, the extra work that is required by coaches is unnecessary seeing as they already get paid minimal wages for a time-consuming, part-time job.

Along with the already abundant advantage the home schoolers have, this would give them the ability to play for whatever team they desire. The setbacks are far less for home schoolers because they can just move to a new school and not worry about their grades or a new school.

A simple solution would be to organize home school teams that compete against public and private schools near them.

What is the Tim Tebow Bill?

The “Tebow Bill”, named after the NFL quarterback Tim Tebow who was home schooled in Florida and participated in public school sports, would allow home schooled students to participate in public school sports and other competitive activities.

This bill was proposed by Del. Robert Bell, R-Albemarle, and it would bar public schools from joining an interscholastic body such as the Virginia High School League which governs over sports and competitive activities. There is also a local provision that states not all counties are required to allow home school students to play along with public high schoolers.

In 2013, this bill failed to pass in the Virginia Senate with an eight to seven vote, but passed in the House of Delegates. Recently, on Jan. 29, the Virginia House of Delegates approved to review the bill again.

With such a close margin in the Senate, there is a likely chance of Virginia joining the other 29 states that allow home schooled children to play public school sports, however Virginia may also continue with its policy of not allowing such integration for the next few years.

To hear these columns as podcasts, go to trnwired.org/ category/opinions

4 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 5

Briefly Presidents’ Day On the third Monday of February, Presidents’ Day is celebrated to honor past and current presidents. It was originally on Feb. 22, which is George Washington’s birthday, but was moved to the third Mon. of Feb. to honor all presidents instead of one. On Monday Feb. 17, school will be closed.

Valentine’s Day On Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by couples or loved ones exchanging gifts. This tradition started with a pagan festival in February, which was Christianized into a festival to find future spouses, instead of celebrating fertility so openly. Today, it has become a more commercial holiday for love and romance. Annually, 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent and exchanged through the mail.

Black History Month Important Events in African American History in the United States: Brown v. Board of Education Of Topeka: The Supreme Court ruled that the racial segregation present in public schools was unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Act of 1964: This act prohibits discrimination of anyone based on race, religion, or sex.

Freedom Rides of 1961: These integrated rides protested segregated public transportation. People were beat and the bus was burned.

Fifteenth Amendment: This amendment gave African American men the right to vote. It was ratified Feb. 3, 1870.

Thirteenth Amendment: This amendment abolished slavery, and it was ratified in 1865.

NEWS BRIEFS

Black History Program Honors Black Culture On Feb. 28 during sixth block, Cultural Awareness will be hosting a celebration of history and culture in the auditorium. Students need permission forms signed in able to attend.

4-H Sponsors A Talent Show On Feb. 21, there will be a talent show in the auditorium at 7:00 PM. To attend, students and others must pay $5.00.

Interim Reports Distributed On Feb. 26, interim reports will be sent home. Second period teachers will distribute the reports to students.

Students Donate Blood The JROTC is sponsoring a blood drive scheduled for Feb. 26th. Sign-up in the Commons beginning this week. Students must be 16 and feeling well the day of the drive. Students taking antibiotics must be off medicine 24 hours before giving blood.

6 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

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FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 7

Features

After Prom Fund Raising Takes Off Organizers Continue To Raise Money To Fund After Prom

NUMBERS

$15k The amount of money that will pay for renting the games and purchasing food and decorations.

Daniel Puryear trn writer

A

ll across the country, teens in high school look forward to the day that they get to dress up, be with all of their friends, and just have fun. Prom may be one of the most exciting memories in some teens’ high school career, but After Prom should be able to top that.

Each year, The Parent Teacher Association hosts an After Prom to keep the party going and to allow the students to have a safe way to end the night. The PTA organizes this after party by not taking fund raising lightly and stressing it to the students and parents.

In previous years, the PTA has used the local amusement park Swader’s as a location for After Prom. Unfortunately, last year’s experience was not up to the PTA’s expectations.

“Swader’s was horrible last year,” Karen Sadler, a member of last year’s After Prom committee, said. “They charged the kids an extra ten dollars for the night.”

Due to Swader’s’ displeasing service, the PTA has decided to have After Prom at the high school this year and has chosen a cruise theme for added excitement.

“I hope we will be better than Swader’s, as we will have a lot more activities for the students to enjoy,” Cindy Leonard, a planner for the 2014 After Prom, said. “We will have inflatable games in the gym, and carnival and casino games in the commons. Also we will have a green screen set up for students to take pictures with their destinations in the background just like on a real cruise line. As a positive, we have lowered the price for After Prom, considerably more than last year.”

The PTA has also decided to allow the students to stay after the original four hour After Prom for a complimentary breakfast buffet.

“The After Prom is from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.,” Missy Cobb, a planner for After Prom, said.

“This includes the beginning four hours of

BY THE

$10 Students can enter their cars in the PTA car show scheduled for March 29th for only $10.

6 The number of hours that After Prom lasts. It begins at 11 PM and continues until 5 AM. games and fun with a one hour hypnotist show and ending with an hour long breakfast.”

Fund raising has been a complicated but necessary step towards After Prom. The PTA has been doing a lot of work towards fund raising, including working with local restaurants that have a large number of student patrons.

“Our goal is $15,000, this will go towards renting the games and purchasing food, decorations, and t-shirts.” Leonard said.

Along with multiple nights of funds from El Caporal, the PTA has sold Boston butts to add funds towards After Prom. They have scheduled to have a car show on Mar. 29th that already has a large amount of student sign-ups.

“We have two really big fund raisers coming up,” Cobb said. “The first will be the wine tasting and student auction at Jordan Point on Mar. 7th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the second being a car show on Mar. 29th that is free to the public. We are allowing students to enter their cars for $10 and anyone else can enter for $15 prior to the show.”

Alumnus Bradley Cooper participates in After Prom in 2012. As part of the activities students were hypnotized in the auditorium.

Photo by alumnus Unique Larry.

As always, the main goal of the After Prom committee is to out do what they did last year and allow students to have a controlled environment to express their celebration and excitement. The students may have a while before they go to pick out their dress or suit to wear, but the After Prom only has a limited time to get all the funds needed.

The Committee has been working nonstop and the After Prom committee would appreciate any help possible and hopes that they can make Prom Night even more of an event than it already is.

“We are hoping to have a positive response from parents and students. We have worked very hard to raise the money to be able to support this event,” Leonard said.

7th On March 7th , the PTA will conduct a wine tasting at Jordan Point Country Club from 6 PM to 9 PM to raise money.

$10 Students were expected to pay an extra $10 for after prom at Swader’s in 2013.

8 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

Features Teachers Share Love Languages Hezekiah Butler History Teacher

Andrew Castellano Math Teacher

Love Language: Physical Touch

Love Language: Words of Affirmation

“I show it because it expresses love the most clearly. I hug my wife, we hold hands, snuggle, cuddle, all those things. We have been married for five years, and it will be six in June.”

Paola Jones Spanish Teacher Love Language: Quality Time “The more time I spend with my loved ones I am able to show them my love. We have children, so we can’t spend as much time together, but the few times that we have we make them worth while. We spend time together by going out to dinner and the movies.”

Love languages are the primary ways in which individuals show their affection for another. Knowing what one’s own love language is and that of their significant other can allow for couples to better show their affection to one another. Below are descriptions of each love language: Physical Touch - People with this love language enjoy hugs, kisses, pats on the back, and touches on the face and arms.

Physical touch for this person lets them feel loved and lets them know that others are thinking of them.

Quality Time - This person enjoys having their significant other’s undivided attention. Rather than going out to a movie, this person would often prefer a walk on the beach or through the park. Time spent with each other trumps anything else that could be done for this person.

Gift Giving - This person is not necessarily materialistic, but appreciates the effort and time put behind gifts from their partner. A person with this love language values the tangible gift that shows they are loved.

Acts of Service - This person feels most valued when their significant other does something to help ease a burden. For example, having a chore done or getting help with work/ homework speaks volumes of love to this person.

Words of Affirmation - A person with a primary love language of words of affirmation feels loved when they are told they are loved. They appreciate the quick compliments that let them feel valued.

Terry Johnson JROTC Teacher Love Language: Gift Giving “My daughter was born on Valentine’s Day, so she loves when I get her stuff. My wife loves gifts as well. Flowers and candy make her happy.

We have been married for 27 years.”

“I send my wife text messages throughout the day to encourage her. I tell her she’s special and how I love her. I believe that women need to hear that they are special.

February 9 was our one year anniversary.”

Beth Andersen English Teacher Love Language: Acts of Service “I have always been taught that while words are important, actions speak louder than words. Even if we don’t spend time together I am able to show this by washing clothes. I fix his lunch. I do the little things that make a difference on an everyday basis.”

Interviews by Hydeia Nutt.

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 9

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SUPER Louise Thornton Leann & Roy Binger Kim Bailey Tracey Smallwood John Pelter William Havard Riley Rakes Kerry H. Rosier Philip Jones Mrs. Williams The Fishburne Family Stream Team Stephanie Bishop Beth Andersen Hopewell/Prince George PGHS ART CLUB Crime Solvers Mary Shumar The Cheeky Kniphe

The Basketball Team Courtney Taylor Thomas Brown Babrbara Daniel Jack Murray Monica Belmar

PATRONS Mrs. Franchok Renee Topian Tammy Peterson Noelle P. J. L. Owens

Cynthia Hall Chrystal B. Barnwell Cynthia Hasley Donald Newbold

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10 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

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FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 11

Features

Norovirus Strikes Crater Area Stomach Virus Causes Sickness In Young And Elderly Deborah Gardner ads editor

R

ocking with the waves of a cruise, being surrounded by new people that one is not well acquainted with, and not knowing that the packed space could potentially cause illness are easy ways to ruin a great vacation.

The Norovirus, sometimes confused with the stomach flu, is not a new virus, but it has recently had an outbreak. This may lead families to be more cautious about being around a lot of people in small spaces, since this is how the virus spreads most easily.

Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pains, fever, headaches, body aches, and occasionally dehydration. Although it causes much pain, people with the virus get better within one to three days.

Norovirus is a gastrointestinal illness that may cause the stomach flu. However, the two illnesses are not the same.

“The stomach flu goes all over the body while the norovirus stays in the stomach and the large intestines,” Tara Rose, a Community Health Educator and Public Information Officer from the Virginia Department of Health, said over the phone.

Ways to prevent being infected with the virus include washing one’s hands regularly, cleaning off exposed foods likes fruits and vegetables, staying away from others infected with the virus, and just being cautious overall.

Caleb Johnson, a Prince George alumnus and a freshman at William and Mary, had once been infected with the virus.

“My experience with the virus was very swift, I only experienced symptoms for 18 hours, but terribly immobilizing. The worst symptom was of course the dehydration which leaves your body unbearably sore and in desperate need for nourishment. Unfortunately, feeding a sick stomach is impossible,” Johnson said through email.

Johnson was with his family while he was sick, and because the virus is highly contagious, he had also gotten his family sick.

“I knew I had the virus after I started to feel a very deep churning in my stomach that couldn’t be remedied. The only thing I could do

VIRUS

FACTS

You can get norovirus from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces.

Anyone can be infected with norovirus and get sick. The virus can reappear throughout one’s life.

to find relief was to sleep and sip on any liquid available (mostly water and Gatorade),” said Johnson through email.

The virus is most dangerous to young children and older adults and can sometimes result in death.

“It is about how weak your immune system is and how you have been exposed. In small children, their immune system is not always developed and in older adults, their immune systems have become weaker,” Rose said.

According to cdc.gov, most cases of the virus spread from November to April in tightly packed places like day care centers, nursing homes, schools, and cruise ships. A person who is infected with the virus is most contagious when they are sick with the virus and during the first three days after they recover.

“We have not had any reported norovirus outbreaks for Crater in 2014. Individual cases of norovirus are not reportable to the health department, so we do not track them. We

Sophomore Peyton Mitchell uses hand sanitizer in an attempt to ward off sicknesses like the norovirus. Norovirus is becoming increasingly prevalent in Prince George and surrounding areas.

Photo by Travis Temple. only investigate suspected outbreaks,” Louise Lockett, MPH District Epidemiologist at Crater District Health Department, said through email, MPH District Epidemiologist-Crater District Health Department.

“Norovirus is certainly here in Virginia. So far in 2014, we have responded to 54 reports of outbreaks of norovirus. These reports come to the health department from settings such as schools or long term care facilities. These outbreaks are good reminders to everyone to remember to wash your hands, especially before and after eating. If you are feeling ill, please stay home from work or school,” Dr. Laurie Forlano, Acting State Epidemiologist,

Each year, norovirus causes 19-21 million illnesses and contributes to 56,00071,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths.

Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States.

Norovirus is also the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks in the United States.

Information from cdc.gov.

12 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

Social Media Collides W

Recently, social media has been used by many teachers and students as a source of inform Samantha Daniel trn writer

A

s the snowflakes began to fall, the first thought that came to many students’ minds was to grab their phone and post on their social media accounts about the unusual weather. As the Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook worlds clogged with excited tweets and posts about the snow, it became a source of information to others.

In an email interview, senior Mandy Almarode said that she uses social media like a news channel or website.

“I use my social media to get information all the time,” Almarode said. “I use it more to probably spread information out.”

Students use social media as a way to connect and inform each other of things instantly. As soon as exams and school were cancelled, students took to social media to in-

form each other. Other students took to social media to find out what was going on. Twitter has become “the news” for many teenagers and young adults.

“I don’t really take the time to check the weather,” Almarode said. “I usually find out from Twitter or my parents.”

Social media can be a reliable source. Students often tweet after hearing directly from the source.

When there is inclement weather sophomore Brendal Vargo often does not get the information directly from the source, so she turns to social media.

“I do think it is a reliable source because sometimes for school cancellations, I do not always get the call from Dr. Bobby Browder and I know others who do not either,” Vargo said.

History teacher and varsity basketball coach Travis Carr is no stranger to social media either. During the snow days, Carr made predictions about school closings and tweeted them out to Prince George students. All of his predictions came true making him a popular person to follow throughout the wintry weather.

“I try to predict school cancellations and I’m usually right,” Carr said.

Carr only checks the weather when snow is involved and like many students, he uses social media to be updated.

“I’m informed about the weather through social media and through my friend D.J who runs a site called WxRisk,” Carr said.

Social Media is not only a popular place to find weather information but can also be used for sports updates, television show updates, and much more. Students use it to stay updated on a wide range of information, bypassing direct sources.

“One main source of information is whenever there are big events on television, people are always tweeting about them so I do not have to be watching the event for me to know what is going on all the time,” Vargo said.

However, these sites can often become clogged with unnecessary and repetitive information.

“There are a lot of people on Twitter who have let it consume their lives and just like to hear themselves ‘speak,’” Carr said.

Do you use social media?

@c

Do you use social media as a source of information?

Yes

Yes Do you feel like people use social media to get information about weather?

A survey was taken of 66 students and teachers.

Yes

8th gr takes yard.

With Weather

mation on current issues such as the weather.

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 13

Social Media & Weather

The facts

The National Weather Service is now using social media to educate the public and share critical information.

@meaghan_oxox #PGSnow

Junior Meaghan Elliott takes a picture of the sunset in the snow.

@malmarode #PGS-

Senior Mandy Almarode snaps a picture in front of the Prince George High School sign.

@cabernethy6 #PGSnow

grader Caitlin Abernethy s a picture standing in her .

@k_bash12 #PGS-

Sophomore Kirsten Basham and Senior Stephanie Benson take a picture on the fourwheeler in the snow.

There are 1.15 billion+ total users on Facebook, 500 million+ on twitter, and 130 million+ on Instagram.

On Facebook, seventy-five percent of possible engagement a post gets is in its first five hours.

751 million users access Facebook from a mobile device and 60% of twitter users access it from a mobile device.

Schools, colleges, and universities are now using social media to reach students about closings and delays.

The National Weather Association now has a social media committee specifically for sharing news information through Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google+ “Twenty-five percent of smartphone owners ages 18-44 say they can’t recall the last time their smartphone wasn’t next to them” “Seventy-two percent of all internet users are now active on social media”

@_Dalt_ Deep #PGSnow Senior Dalton Blystone tweeted a picture standing on ice.

Information from: Socialmediatooday.com Weather.gov highedwebtech.com nwas.org huffingtonpost.com

14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

4550 Crossings Boulevard Prince George, VA 23875

(804) 458-5229

Contact Us:

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 15

A&E

Wrestler Ric Flair Stars In Event Big Time Wrestling Superstars To Appear At Fund Raiser For Prince George Sports Ronnie Dayvault trn writer

P

rince George High School has held some big events including prom, pep rallies, sporting events or the homecoming dance.

The event that is happening on March 1st, 2014 is one of the biggest events to ever happen here according to coach David Emory who has arranged for Big Time Wrestling Presents: One Night with the Nature Boy Ric Flair.

“The event is great publicity for the county,” Emory said. “There are wrestling fans and people who aren’t wrestling fans from all around the tri-cities including Chesterfield, Dinwiddie and further places in the state that are attending.”

The money that is raised at the event goes to the Prince George baseball and wrestling teams. The money helps to pay for uniforms, entry fees for tournaments and more items that they need.

Big Time Wrestling owner and promoter Bob Sacamano is the other person responsible for bringing Big Time Wrestling here.

“I knew Coach Emory was looking for an idea for a fund raiser for the school and he knew that wrestling was popular and he decided that he wanted to bring Ric Flair to the area,” Sacamano said.

“When you come out to Big Time Wrestling, you can expect a mix of everything you’ve ever seen in wrestling!

We’ve got something for the grandfather to the 10 year old that watches it now. You’ll see legends, you’ll see girls, and you’ll see young hungry wrestlers looking to make a name for them selves. It’ll be the biggest wrestling show to ever hit Prince George,” Sacamano said.

Although here have been wrestling events in Prince George before, the company that is hosting the event is out of Boston, Massachusetts. They have been to Maryland and West Virginia this is their first time in Virginia “This is our debut in Virginia, we’ve been to Maryland and West Virginia, but this is our first time in Virginia, and we’re hoping to raise some money for the school,” Sacamano said.

“We are looking to come back twice a year,” Sacamano said. ”The factor that makes us Photo courtesy of: www.big-time-wrestling.com different from any other wrestling promotion is that our shows have a magnitude of wrestlers package deal is $30.00 and the Matt that you’ve watched over the past 20 Hardy package deal is $15.00. Big Time years on television, and not only do they Wrestling Presents: One Night With The wrestle, but you get up close and per- Nature Boy Ric Flair on Saturday March sonal and meet them before the event.”

1st, 2014. The pro wrestling action will “The meet and greet that starts at start at 7 p.m.

5 PM will not only consist of Ric Flair, Sophomore Tim Jones is a big fan Vader and Matt Hardy but it will let you of Ric Flair and is considering coming to meet and take photos will all the Big the event.

Time Wrestling superstars,” Sacamano “I watched Ric Flair ever since I was said. “For Ric Flair, Matt Hardy and Vad- a little kid.Ric Flair is one of the greatest er there is a price you will have to pay to of all time,” Jones said. “The event makes get a photo with them and an autograph me love being a fan. The reason I am from them. To take a picture and have going to the event is more than just goRic Flair autograph an item would cost ing to see Ric Flair but I am going to the you $70.00 and that’s because your not event because it would be my first live just going to see someone like Ric Flair pro wrestling show. What better way walk into the school. than to tell my family and friends that The same package deal consists the first wrestling show I went to was of Vader and Matt Hardy, however Va- when Ric Flair attended.” der’s package deal is not the same price, same goes for Matt Hardy. The Vader

JROTC Royal Battalion

School Year 2014 Key 2nd Semester EVENTS

19-20 FEB ASVAB 26 FEB BLOOD DRIVE 8 MARCH MILITARY BALL (HOPEWELL MOOSES LODGE) 19 MAR JROTC DAY COMPETITION (RICHMOND) 27 MARCH FORMAL INSPECTION 10 APRIL NBC AWARDS CEREMONY 24 APRIL HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS CEREMONY 3 MAY “RUN FOR THE FALLEN” FT. LEE

16 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

d Owne y l i m Fa ! cades e d r fo

Grea Cont t BBQ! act J Nan eff at nysb bq2@ to ha g mail. ve N com your anny’s ca t next event er .

11900 South Crater Road - Petersburg, VA 23805 (Prince George County, VA) (804) 733-6619

A&E

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 17

PG Predicts Oscars Staff And Students Make Their Predictions For The 2014 Academy Awards Through a survey, conducted with 100 staff and students, Oscar predictions for the following categories were made for the 86th Annual Academy Award. The percentages for the top votes, which are circled, are shown. The Academy Awards premiere on March 2 on ABC.

Best Picture:

Best Animated Feature:

30%

American Hustle Captain Phillips Dallas Buyers Club Gravity Her Nebraska Philomena 12 Years A Slave The Wolf of Wall Street

The Croods Despicable Me 2 Ernest & Celestine Frozen The Wind Rises

50%

Best Actress:

Amy Adams- American Hustle Cate Blanchett- Blue Jasmine Sandra Bullock- Gravity Judi Dench- Philomena Meryl Streep- August: Osage

County

52%

Best Supporting Actor:

“[I saw] three of the nominated movies. They were really well made.

The music helped the Sophomore Bennet Beutow story line.”

Barkhad Abdi- Captain Phillips 53% “[On Captain Phillips] Bradley Cooper- American Hustle Best Actor: I though it Michael Fassbender- 12 Years A Slave Christian Bale- American Hustle was well put Jonah Hill- The Wolf of Wall Street Bruce Dern-Nebraska together. The Jared Leto- Dallas Buyers Club plot line was Leonardo DiCaprio- The Wolf very well de of Wall Street Junior Kaela Orr veloped, and 56% Chiwetel Ejiofor- 12 Years A Slave the acting was exquisite.

Matthew McConaughey- Dallas Barkhad Abdi played his part of

Buyers Club a Somali pirate really well. He embodied the traits of a true Somali Pirate.”

Leonardo DiCaprio was nominated for his performance in “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

Phot ocourtesy of: http://commons.wikimedia.org Free for commercial use

Best Supporting Actress: Sally Hawkins- Blue Jasmine Jennifer Lawrence- American Hustle Lupita Nyong’o- 12 Years A Slave Julia Roberts- August: Osage County June Squibb- Nebraska

74%

Jennifer Lawrence was nominated for her performance in American Hustle.

Photo courtesy of: http://en.wikipedia.org Free for commercial use

“[On Best & Supporting Actor/Actress] Each one of the actors not only supSenior Melinda Traylor ported their own role well, but also supported the others as well.”

Interviews and Photos by Qadirah Monroe

18 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

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A&E

Niche Genre Progresses with Increased Realism

Survival is our primary instinct. To stay alive, we must recognize the necessities of our bodies and satiate those needs within the confines of the world we live in. Most video games, in essence, are no different.

Oftentimes the basic goal of a video game is to make sure the pixilated character on your screen survives through whatever struggles the particular game puts you through, but the rules are different within a game (i.e. things like food, shelter, and clothing are not required). This trend led to the creation of the relatively niche genre of survival games that flies in the face of aforementioned standards.

Klei Entertainment sought to create a unique take on the survival genre with Don’t Starve, its latest downloadable title, and largely succeeds in creating a fun and challenging survival simulator.

Don’t Starve’s survival gameplay is second to none, but it is brutally difficult and has a steep learning curve. Without explanation or warning, the player is thrown into the harsh wilderness with nothing but their wits and whatever resources are immediately available. You are fully expected to figure out the controls, gameplay mechanics, and general minutia on your own, which is a key part of the experience, but it can be offputting for the average person.

Don’t Starve features a deep crafting system that rivals and often outclasses those found in fellow survival games like Minecraft. This crafting system is a key facet of the experience, as it allows you to build basic necessities like campfires and eventually advanced tools that make challenging tasks a breeze. These crafted items are necessary for managing your character’s three traits: physical wellbeing, sanity, and hunger (hence the name Don’t Starve). Balancing these three attributes is the major gameplay hook, but anything less than perfection results in death, and death means starting from scratch, which can be frustrating after multiple hours of work.

Much of the tension synonymous with a game in the survival genre is found in the day/night cycle in which the sun rises and sets on a certain schedule, and Don’t Starve is no exception. In fact, Don’t Starve’s version

Travis Temple

Gamer's Corner

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 19

Romantic Holiday’s Origins, Quips Discovered

A

s I’m sure we all know, Valentine’s Day is nearing in on us. Most people know Valentine’s Day as a day for the exchange of tokens of affection but what they don’t know is the history of Valentine’s Day or how it was started.

During the third century in Rome, Emperor Claudius said that men without wives and families would make better soldiers therefore outlawing marriage for young men. A priest named Valentine saw the injustice in this and went against Claudius and continued to secretly perform marriages for young couples. Valentine’s actions were soon discovered. And he was sentenced to death in the middle of February, which is why it is celebrated February 14.

One of the most common candies given on Valentine’s Day behind chocolate is Sweethearts. Necco, the company that makes Sweethearts was founded in 1847 in Boston. The company started out by making candies similar to Sweethearts but instead shaped like scallop shells. Messages were written on small colored papers, which were tucked into the candies similar to a fortune cookie. Later, a machine was designed that put the messages on the candies themselves instead of papers. The candies then were much larger than they are today and the messages on them were lengthier. By the 1900’s the candies became more of how they are today. The shape of the candies changed from shells, baseballs, and horseshoes to hearts and the messages printed on them became considerably shorter.

With Valentine’s Day being the holiday for love and red roses being symbolic of love it’s obvious that red roses would be given for this special day. Nearly $1.9 billion is spent on the 224 million roses that are grown for Valentine’s Day, 64% of those red rose consumers being male.

While you’re out shopping for your special someone, keep in mind how this holiday came to be and the meaning behind it.

Hannah Zuloaga

of the genre staple is better implemented and more progressive than most. It is impossible to survive in the dark because of the nocturnal beasts, so a light source is required throughout the night. This adds another layer of challenge and resource managing as well as a primary objective during your first few days in the outdoors.

Different seasons are a fresh touch and one of the many ways Don’t Starve blends its unique style with dynamic and realistic gameplay systems. The seasons mostly affect the length of day and night, but they each a have a few individual traits. For example, plants and crops grow poorly during the winter season, which cuts out a large portion of the food supply. Players have to keep their wits about them and plan ahead to make sure preparations are made for every season, and this adds another layer of gameplay onto an already deep game.

There are multiple characters with unique abilities and shortcomings to play as, but they have to be unlocked through an experience system. Upon failing, this system awards the player with experience points based on how many days they survived, and new characters are a reward for reaching certain benchmarks in their numerical point value. However, these characters never drastically change the game, nor is there any legitimate incentive to use them, so they add little to the experience.

For the majority of the beginning of your time with Don’t Starve, curiosity and intrigue will be the only things that keep you coming back for more. There is no sense of direction or a defined goal in Don’t Starve until you reach a gateway that takes your character to another biome to explore, and because the landscape is randomized for every playthrough, it may take you anywhere from five minutes to five hours before you find

one. There are five gateways in total, and the paper-thin plot reaches its conclusion after traversing through all of them. This largely serves to please anyone in need of a definite goal to achieve; the actual fun is seeing how long you can hold out before you succumb to the elements and trying to beat previous records. One of the issues with this cycle is that the first half hour of a new attempt is full of tedium. You find yourself doing the same things over and over again because every new play-through begins with the same basic tasks, namely hoarding as many resources as possible.

This is all tied together by a quirky and unsettling aesthetic that would feel right at home in a Tim Burton movie and a level of polish that puts many top-tier video games to shame. The cartoon sketches blend well with its unique sense of humor that never stales. Don’t Starve delivers dry and sarcastic humor at every turn, a well-placed and clever Lord of the Flies reference being a standout.

This serves to liven up dull moments and add character to an otherwise drab environment.

The sound design is rather minimalist, but it never distracts and adds another layer of tension to the lonesome experience. The most interesting thing on the audio front is the fact that a different classical instrument voices all of the characters. The entire game runs smoothly with no bugs, glitches, or crashes to speak of.

Don’t Starve is an unforgiving survival simulator that tests your abilities and will to survive unlike anything else in the enigmatic survival genre, which is an impressive feat.

It has its quirks and drawbacks, but Klei Entertainment manages to create a unique and exciting experience all the same.

20 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

ph tOGallery

Top Photos From Winter Sports

RIGHT: Junior Markia Smith drives with the ball with a Matoaca defender closely guarding her. The girls varsity basketball team is currently undefeated. Photo by Ronnie Dayvault.

BELOW : Sophomore Cory Hill and his teammate senior Cedric Wright try to steal the ball from Hopewell opponents. The boys varsity basketball team’s final game was on Feb. 12th, where they defeated Colonial Heights 72-58.

Boys Basketball

Girls Basketball

Track Wrestling

LEFT: Freshman Parker Gifford, pins his opponent to the mat during a home wrestling match. Varsity wrestling team is scheduled to go to regionals Feb. 14th and 15th . Photo by Chris McKay. ABOVE: Senior Rochelle Rawls high jumps at the indoor track conference on Feb. 8th. The girls placed third overall in the conference.

“I do not think I did as well as I could have, I did it so we could get points and this will probably be my last year high jumping so I just took a chance,” Rawls said. Photo by Jasmine Lackey.

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 21

Wintersports

Athletes Share New Perspective

Basketball Players, Coaches Show New Side To Their Sport

Junior Richard Hanson prepares mentally for a game before stepping out on the court.

Photo by Ryan Albright.

Reeve Ashcraft trn writer

A

s a spectator we often consume our time with concession stand foods, watching the Royalettes performs, and it can be easy to forget about the athlete’s and coach’s perspective during these

moments.

Before the Game Junior Ariel Stephenson sits in the locker room and prepares for another game. With her mind engrossed with different plays and scenarios, she starts to process what she has to do to pull out the win.

“I’m calm and just listening to my music. I have my pregame ritual which is listen to my music, stretch, and then play,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson, a three-year starter on the girls varsity basketball team, knows exactly what it takes to play a complete game and ultimately win for her team.

“I have to do whatever it takes to help my team win and that means taking over,” Stephenson said.

Before a game, junior Richard Hanson takes time to think, but also gets excited to go

Coach Gray prepares his team for the second half of the game.

Photo by Ronald Dayvault.

Hanson celebrates after a victory.

Photo by Devan Fishburne.

out and conquer the opponent.

“I’m excited to play, ready to pull out a win.

The student section gives us motivation and hypes us up,” Hanson said.

Timeouts A timeout in basketball can be a devastating momentum changer in the course of a game. A team that is down can regroup and retake the lead, while a team that is up can strategize on how to maintain that lead.

Basketball coach Travis Carr takes timeouts very seriously knowing that it can be a “make or break” situation.

“Depending on the situation, we would draw up a specific play on offense if we needed it,” Carr said.

Halftime At halftime, Coach Carr instills the necessary motivation into his players. Even when down at halftime, Carr knows that it’s his job to encourage his team to never give up.

“First, we would make any adjustments,” Carr said. “Second, I try to challenge players to play harder in the second half and ask, “Who is going to step up and make plays?”

On the contrary, when the team is up at halftime, Carr believes it’s his job to make sure the team stays on track and continues to play their game. Especially in basketball where no lead is safe, a team’s best strategy is to not let up.

“I always mention killer instinct when we have leads. Instead of sitting on a lead, have the

instinct to increase that lead,” Carr said. During the half, Stephenson a captain for the team reminds them that they need to continue to fight and pursue the victory.

“We gotta keep pushing and can’t let up.

When we get out the huddle, I tell them we gotta keep pushing for the next sixteen minutes,” Stephenson said.

After the Game At the end of a game, players and coaches alike go over what went right and what went wrong. Hanson takes time after a game to think about what he and the team could have done better to win the game.

“I get mad, I hate losing and get ready to practice to avoid anymore losses. We gotta stay hungry and stay on The Hunt,” Hanson said.

As a coach, it’s a top priority to keep the team humble. Carr implements in his team the mind set that a win is great, but there is still plenty of work to be done.

“Any win is a good win, because they are so hard to come by with the schedule we play.

We work hard in practice, we enjoy and celebrate wins,” Carr said. “But we have a menu of opponents, so once we are full on one, we have to concentrate on our next ‘meal.’”

After a game, Stephenson contemplates all the things she could have done to play better.

“I reflect what I could have done to play better and what my team can do to make sure we don’t lose again,” Stephenson said.

Dancers Earn The Title Of Athletes

I

t is an unfortunate trait of our society that it tends to degrade girls’ sports as inferior to more mainstream boys’ sports, and in some Lindsay Pugh cases cast doubt on whether they are sports at all. Among the sports that have suffered the mightiest are cheerleading and dance, almost exclusively practiced by girls.

A sport is defined as an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively. Both cheerleading and dance meet all of these basic requirements and often go beyond them.

Cheerleading accounts for over 65% of all female sports injuries in high school, and 67% of all female sports injuries in college.

With its flips, tucks, backhand springs, and leaps, cheer is generally acknowledged as a sport—and a difficult one at that.

Dance is given less respect. The sentence, “I dance,” brings to mind tap shoes and shiny wooden dance studio floors to most. To me, dance recalls my sister leaping across the stage the night of her senior graduation and last dance recital, three years of competition, costumes twirling around her hips as she pirouetted, and tap shoes and shiny dance studios. I have no doubt that dance is a sport—and yes, a difficult one at that Dancers require an inherent grace that keeps the audience’s eyes riveted on them, but they have to build endurance, strength, and skill gradually— as does any athlete in any sport. To memorize a routine is not much of a deviation from memorizing plays as in football and basketball.

Dance is not governed by a score board, but by a panel of judges— but so is gymnastics, which is an Olympic sport. Dancers practice as frequently as most sports, for hours at a time. The fact that dance is a hobby for many, practiced simply for fun, does not degrade it as a complicated and physically demanding sport. Dancers face regular injuries like any athlete— walk into any dance class or practice and I guarantee you will see several knee or foot splints.

Dance can remain an art form and still be a sport; in fact, it is one of the few sports that can go beyond the physical movements of the team to express emotion and tell a story.

22 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 2.14.14

FRIDAY 2.14.14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 23

winterSPorts

Athletes Brave Progression Of Winter Olympics Terrorism Sporting Fans Recall Previous Games With 2014 Edition Already Underway W Madison Strang trn writer

T

he Winter Olympics is an international sporting competition that is held every four years. The games are a very nationalistic event where athletes enjoy taking part and supporting their country. Athletes from around the world gather and compete in different sporting disciplines in tribute to their countries with the hopes of bringing home the gold. Although the Winter Olympics are a tradition there have been many changes throughout the years.

With the 22nd Olympic Winter Games approaching, people around the world are recalling the memories they share with friends and family from previous Olympics and noticing how far the games have come.

The Winter Olympics currently consists of 15 sporting disciplines, but it has not always been that way. Alpine skiing, cross country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, ski jumping, and speed skating have taken place since the first Winter Olympics in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Over the years, different sports have been added. These include the biathlon, bobsledding, curling, freestyle skiing, luge, short speed skating, and snowboarding. The most popular sports in the Winter Olympics are snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and figure skating.

Technology has changed how we view everything today including the Olympics. Of course there weren’t cameras, computers, and smart phones to keep up with the event, in the first Olympics. Back then they relied on newspapers to keep up with all the events going on. Now the public is more involved with the winter games today because of the media and social interaction.

At the first Winter Olympics there were only 11 women participants out of the 258 total competitors. The only two events that women could participate in were women’s figure skating and mixed pair figure skating. Women could only participate in those two events until 1948 when skiing was opened to women as a competitive sport. Women are continuing to break new ground by being able to compete in just as many sporting disciplines as the men.

Modern snowboarding was invented in the 1960s. Snowboarding is currently a popular sporting discipline held at the Winter Olympic Games. The Photo received from Google Images with permission to use commercially.

1896 1924 1940 1956

The first ever Olympics were held in Athens, Greece.

The first Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France.

World War II cancelled the Games for much of the 40s until their return in 1948.

The first televised Olympics in Cortina

1976

1980 1992 1994 2002

The city of Denver, Colorado became the first city to reject the Olympics.

The U.S. achieved the “Miracle on Ice” in defeating the favored USSR. The former Soviet Republics compete for the first time independently.

The Winter Olympics were held in a nonSummer Olympic year for the first time.

The Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah were held just six months after the 9/11 terrorist attack.

2014

The 2014 Winter Olympics is being held in Sochi, Russia from Feb. 6th to Feb. 23rd.

ith the 2014 W i n t e r Olympics set in Sochi, Russia emotions and expectations are raging. The major sporting event occurs only once every four years, which gives reason as to why the event is so imporKadera Brown tant. Not only do the winter games allow athletes and fans from all around the world to be able to connect with one another, but it also gives room for athletes to showcase their talent, all while representing their country.

This year however, tensions are high for reasons other than the competitiveness. With a recent video threat by two members of an Islamic organization, believed to be Suleiman and Abdul Rahman, the question of attending the winter games has been heightened to new levels over the last few weeks. As a result, many expectants have cancelled flights and hotel bookings; some participants have even warned their families not to attend the prestigious event. With recent unsettling terrorist activity in the city of Russia, the threat is certainly something to be taken seriously; and Russian president, Vladimir Putin, knows it too.

With stakes high and the chance for Russia to prove it is still organizational, Putin has assured the public that the Olympics will be safe. And even though U.S. lawmakers say otherwise; President Barack Obama, too, has expressed full comfort to Americans attending the winter event.

With Russian officials knowledgeable of the risks and with the addition of high militant patrol, the games certainly seem to be a go.

Besides, this is the moment that roughly all of the 2,500 participating athletes have waited for their entire lives. Hours, days, and years all dedicated to this time right here. Why sacrifice an opportunity that only comes once in a lifetime?

With 88 nations participating, there comes a time where the best country must stand out.

Why not go out there and bring home the gold?

The threat of a potential attack cannot derail the illustrious event that has taken place since 1924.

Just as any other winter Olympics, tourists should always stay aware and be careful in the unfamiliar cities. Nonetheless, with a tradition so grand, I am confident that the 2014 Winter Olympics will be safe in Sochi, Russia.

Sports

Winter Calendar

Regional Schedule

Indoor Track-Fri., Feb. 14- Sat., Feb.15 @ Boo Williams Complex Wrestling- Fri., Feb. 14 @ Clover Hill High School

Varsity Basketball Schedule

Boys- Tues., Feb. 18 and Wed., Feb.20 @ L.C. Bird Girls- Tues., Feb. 18 and Wed., Feb.20 @ Clover Hill

Tryout Information

Track- Mon., Feb. 24 Baseball/Softball- Mon., Feb. 24 Soccer- Mon., Feb. 24 Tennis- Mon., Feb. 24

SENIOR JOHN WARREN SETS NATIONAL RECORD FOR TRIPLE JUMP

S Senior John Warren competes in the hurdle event at the indoor track conference on February 8th. Warren holds the national record for triple jump at 51 feet and 3 inches.

Photo by Jasmine Lackey.

Visit trnwired.org to see the latest photo galleries and watch live broadcast events.

Ryan Albright trn writer

enior John Warren stands on the runway of the triple-jump board just trying to get a decent jump on his first approach of the early season. He starts to run, takes a hop, step, and a jump into the sand pit, landing 50 feet, 9 1/4 inches breaking three records: the meet record, which was previously held by Mike Lawton at 46 feet, 3 inches, the Boo Williams SportsPlex record, previously held by David Wilson at 50 feet, 1 inch, and the Prince George school record, previously held by Kevin Soloman at 45 feet, 3 and one half inches.

“I was very joyful that I broke the records and that I hit over 50 feet, especially with it being that early in the season, but as for during the jump I had no idea I had broken the records,” Warren said. “Afterwards and looking back on it now, I feel pretty normal about it all, but I am definitely more confident in my jumps now. Something that really boosted my confidence is that this was my first full approach of the season.”

When Warren was younger, he would watch his older brother compete in the triple jump from the stands. Seeing his brother compete in the event relay turned out to be an immense contribution to his interest in wanting to compete in the triple jump, as well.

“I would watch my older brother compete, and he influenced me a lot,” Warren said. “In fact [my brother] was the one who really pushed me to come out [and compete in the long jump] when I was in 6th grade and I have been training since.”

Warren puts in hard work Monday through Friday to ensure progression in his jumps.

“For training, [the triple jumpers] work on main-

ly bounding, all of the phases of our jumps, and we also run with the rest of track,” Warren said. “We have to run with them since we are considered to be in track so we all have to stay in shape.”

Unlike most athletes that participate in events like this, Warren says he does not really have any pre game rituals.

“I do not really have any play list that I listen to or anything like that, all I do is visualize the jump that I want to happen,” Warren said. “I really make sure that I practice well so that I know I am confident in what will happen.”

More recently at the conference indoor track meet in Richmond, on Saturday, Feb. 8. Warren competed in the triple jump, 4-by-400 meters relay race, 55 meter hurtle and long jump, taking first place in all events. His record setting jump increased to 51 feet 3 inches.

“After breaking the records at the first competition, looking ahead to [future competitions] my goal is to go out and definitely try my best to compete for or break whatever records that [their particular sporting complex] has,” Warren said.

Warren has also set a goal for the remainder of his last high school season of competition for the triple jump. “[For my last season of indoor track] I just want to stay consistent throughout the season, and stay completely healthy and injury free,” Warren said. “I want to do the same for my last season of outdoor track, as well.”

Warren’s future, as far as competing in the triple jump after his high school career is over has been decided. Warren is going to compete at the college level for the triple jump.

“I have just recently signed to go the University of Missouri on a full scholarship to compete in their track and field program,” Warren said.