Stormings lead to forecast of danger

Everybody loves an upset. The underdog. The cinderella. The dark horse, long-shot. Right? The cinderella stories, fans love to root for. No better example of cinderella stories than those in college basketball.

As Division I basketball programs have to play around 30 games not including tournaments. What does this leave room for? Upsets.

Then ranked #2 Duke Blue Devils (14-2) on Sunday, Jan. 11. faced the unranked Wolfpack (12-5) of North Carolina State. Heading into the game with a solid record, the Wolfpack had home-court advantage looking to take down the undefeated Blue Devils.

When NC State took control of the game and had a lead with less than a minute left, it was apparent the Blue Devils were going to lose their zero in the loss column.

Up by six with five seconds left in the game and the Wolfpack at the free-throw line, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K) pulled all five of his players off the court.

Krzyzewski’s reasoning behind it? About 2,000 NC State students surrounding the court ready to pounce on their classmates and team as they are about to take down the #2 team in the country. We call this, “Storming the court.” One of the most popular, yet dangerous traditions now in college basketball.

We all know Coach K is one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever as he approaches 1,000 career wins currently, so he has a massive amount of credibility behind the decisions he makes for his team. When it comes down to his team’s safety, that’s the number one priority.

Coach K had the right to pull his men off the court early and shake the other coach’s hand before time had expired. Even with a few restraints by the referees during this process, Coach K continued to congratulate the Wolfpack on a well-fought win. Just the classy thing to do.

What were not within Duke’s or NC State’s ability, was to hold back the thousands of students waiting to storm the court. Not even the entire security on campus at the time could hold back the crazed, intoxicated and adrenaline-filled so-called adults.

Luckily for the sake of safety of students and players at the time, Duke players were already heading into the locker room and out of the way of these fans.

All it takes after an upset is one opposing fan to get in the way of a 6’ 8 power forward and a brawl could spiral out of control.

Look at Marcus Smart. Last year on the Oklahoma State Cowboys men’s’ basketball team, he ended up in the first row of the crowd after a hustle play. The Texas Tech fan said a few choice words to Smart as he tried turned towards the fan instead of heading back onto the court, and before you know it, Smart gave the fan a heavy shove to the chest sending him backwards.

Now whether or not Smart instigated the event does not matter, for her was still given a technical foul for his actions.

It is important to look at the situation Smart and the Cowboys were under when this occurred. The Cowboys were losing to their rival, with 5.6 seconds remaining in the game; apparent Smart’s team was about to lose on the road.

The frustration of losing can get to athletes real quick and having thousands of opposing teams’ fans rushing the court after your team has just been upset, can easily lead to a physical confrontation between players and fans.

Up for debate over the past few years, analysts have discussed whether the tradition should remain acceptable or if it should be banned.

I firmly believe at the level the court storming takes place in college basketball, that it should be banned for the safety of players, coaches, staff and fanatics.

Over this winter break our girls’ basketball team won the Dundee Crown tournament for the first time in Prospect history. There in attendance were roughly 30-40 Prospect students there to root on their team. When it was clear the Knights were about to beat the undefeated Trevians of New Trier, a security guard came over to our fan section and warned us not to run on the court to celebrate with our team until after the trophy ceremony.

Respecting the authority of the man, we cheered from the stands until after the trophy was presented. The security guard then gave a reassuring nod and we stormed the court. This level of celebration I do not feel was harmful to anyone as the Trevians were clearly out of the way of the storming fans.

Storming the court will remain a tradition in college and highschool upsets for the time being. That is, unless there is a reason to change it. All it will take is one event; it’s just a matter of when and where this fuse will blow.

Goals for 2nd Semester 2014-2015

15.  “If you’re not making some mistakes, you’re not doing anything — not trying to make things

happen. Mistakes are part of winning — not dumb mistakes or those caused by haste and

sloppiness but mistakes made by intelligent and thoughtful individuals attempting to make
something happen. There was never criticism for an intelligent mistake.”

-John Wooden

1. Write a very successful opinion piece. I want to dip into column writing more.
2. Continue to keep a positive attitude in and outside of class.
3. Help other sections out more especially with reads.
4. Help my section out more by becoming a better commentator on stories.
5. Continue to have few errors/knumbers on our Sports Pages.
6. Design a unique backpage the Prospector has never seen before.

Positives and Negatives of 1st semester’s issues

Negatives:

-Commenting more heavily on section’s stories (Most issues)

-Get important follow ups! (Issue 5)

-More thorough evals (Issue 4)

-Use class time more efficiently (Most issues)

-Participate more in schoology discussions (Most issues)

-More reads during pasteups (Most issues)

Positives:

-Getting to work hard on layouts

-Getting a lot of backpage done over the weekend (Issues 1+3)

-Keeping a positive attitude (Most issues)

-Good communication with higher editors (Most issues)

-Issue 4 was phenomenal

Top 5 Favorite Stories

Fave 5 Stories

1. Road trip to the dog-pound http://prospectornow.com/?p=9646

This story will stand the test of time. I remember every moment from the making of this story. The minute my teacher, Mr. Block told me I was going to co-cover the ultimate rivalries of high school basketball I got excited. The story is a great display of finding a unique angle in a game that occurs every year. We threw in the angle of tThe Underground as we even got some great emotional quotes from coaches and players about creating Hersey’s gym into a home-court atmosphere. Every part of writing this story was fun as Devin Prasad and I drew it up on a napkin in a Dairy Queen no 10 minutes after the interviews with the team. Also a very clever headline brings in the reader that much more. Having seen this photo I took with an iphone dozens of times on twitter and other social medias made me realize that people really did take interest.

 

  2. Hey! Hey! What a year it was! (Page 15, Issue 3, Volume 55) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TQxyerqJ0bYe4wkk-3SHBTeFHljdIzLYJFG7PXC0a-k/edit?usp=sharing

This story proved difficult for me to write. As a die-hard White Sox fan, imagine having to write about the Cub’s recent success and hopes, all the while remaining unbiased. This story I co-wrote with my partner, Devin Prasad, a die-hard Cubs fan, and managed to include all sources worthy of such a story: teacher Cub fan, student Cub fan and even a White Sox fan. the layout-spread is ultimately my favorite I have ever done and I take great pride in the development of this story having written the great majority of it.

 

3. Fremd’s size, finish prove too strong http://prospectornow.com/?p=9986

Probably the biggest game I have ever covered. This MSL championship showdown didn’t have a second of down-time. Devin Prasad and I co-covered this game and yes, it took two reporters. With a fantastic lead, the story captivates interests early and really delivers the entire flow of the game. Also one of my favorite stories to be a part of even if Prospect did lose.

 

 

 

4. Wrestling makes state debut (Page 16) (http://issuu.com/prospectornow/docs/issue_7)

Not only did this story portray and show in detail how wrestling was able to achieve a mark on Prospect history, but it meant a lot to the kids I was writing about. Even coach Tom Whalen was very excited about the coverage his team was receiving. Knowing that my story was making a difference in someone’s life made this story that much more worth it. Getting the back page story two issues in a row also prompted me to include a clean layout that gave a senior in Andrew Wroblewski some credit in the art.

 4. Will honored in undefeated MSL East showdown (http://prospectornow.com/?p=12708)

One of the most exciting games I’ve covered that included a pregame story to tell along with another angle of a former coach of Prospect coaching against her former team. The interview may have been tough to do, but the reporting was fantastic. The game overall was exciting and I did’t even feel like reporting that game was a job, more of a task that I enjoyed doing. Including a box score in there along with a link to a video done by Peter Fusilero adds even more to the multimedia story that I am proud to have written.

 

Box Scores idea

 

 

 

A great idea that would benefit many sporting event covers would be more stats and a box score visual to help the reader gather information visually about the flow of the game or event. No matter what the sport, a box score can be designed in piktochart or another infographic website. It is fairly easy and can be utilized by just placing in the stats taken by the reporter during the game.

 

http://www.nba.com/tvc/info.html

http://www.wendyparker.org/2014/07/saying-farewell-to-the-baseball-game-story/

http://wallbol.net/tag/nba-final-score

 

Journalism Mission Statement

As my first year on the Prospector as a Sports editor, I have learned a tremendous amount about journalism, working with a team and having others rely on your actions. Journalism to me gives me a connection to the world and a voice. The Prospector has allowed my voice to be heard by over 2,000 families including administrators of our school and district. With the reputation the Prospector has had for many years, it has welcomed me into its traditions and successful ways that allow it to continue to succeed. I really am honored to be on staff and write in the Prospect every issue. Good journalism to me is delivering the facts and and information correctly, yet creatively to the public in a way that makes them remember it. A big step in what we as an online and print newspaper have already got our feet wet in is the Aurasma usage of the paper that links it to videos. This way of telling a story has made me remember information delivered in this fashion. I hope to achieve in journalism the lessons of responsibility, traditions, consistency and the willingness to ask for help. Coming in as my first year on staff, it was not easy to ask for help especially for InDesign. As I’ve progressed this semester, I have learned a lot, and taken on even more responsibilities than I thought I’d have by this time of the year.

 

The point behind the guards

Next time you see the boys’ basketball team wearing their warm-up shirts, take a closer look. Embroidered on the back of the boys’ shirts are Redwood trees.

The trees serve as a metaphor for the team to depend on one another to become stronger. Redwood trees can span 300 feet from their branches down to their deep roots, which connect them to other nearby Redwoods for support. Head coach John Camardella likewise wants the team to achieve its strength as a unit.

Especially in high school, it’s crucial for coaches to be able to bond with athletes and take on the role of mentor. The relationship between a coach and an athlete should translate to more than just instruction on the court or field.

Having had 13 different coaches in high school alone, I have experienced a spectrum of coaching techniques. With such diversity, there is no single way to coach an athlete. Likewise, coachable athletes are every bit important as the coach themselves.

Different coaching styles have an enormous impact on the way athletes perform with their peers. Some coaches have found success with stricter attitude while others have found it with a looser style. Both these techniques can give players a mental edge to focus during competitions.

Whether it’s how  they give their halftime speeches when the team is losing or the offseason workouts they hold at six in the morning to enhance each player’s athletic ability, coaches have a greater impact on athletes all the time.

Assistant coaches are just as vital. They may not make game-time decisions, but they’re every bit as dedicated to the supportive efforts as the rest of the coaching staff.

Assistant coaches sometimes lay the groundwork for building a program up to its potential, including individual instruction and reviewing recent performances. Because a head coach can not help out individual athletes all the time, these assistant coaches take on a roll that enables more specific instruction with athletes.

Camardella knows how instrumental an entire staff of coaches can be to their team. He has a special history with the coaches he had both in high school and in college.

Camardella attended Hersey High School where his coaches, John Novak, Don Rowley and Kent Borghoff, were vital to him after tearing his ACL and losing his father.

Camardella believes they are the main reason he coaches the way he does today.

I continued to ask Camardella what made him different than any other coach.

“I really don’t know,” Camardella said. “Give me a night to think about it.”

The question doesn’t need to be answered so long that it makes you speculate. So I ask all athletes out there, what coach has made more of an impact on you than just your performance on the court or field?

Inspiration, mentors found in off-court coaching

Next time you see the boys’ basketball team wearing their warm-up shirts, take a closer look. Embroidered on the back of the boys’ shirts are Redwood trees.

The trees serve as a metaphor for the team to depend on one another to become stronger. Redwood trees can span 300 feet from their branches down to their deep roots, which connect them to other nearby Redwoods for support. Head coach John Camardella likewise wants the team to achieve its strength as a unit.

Especially in high school, it’s crucial for coaches to be able to bond with athletes and take on the role of mentor. The relationship between a coach and an athlete should translate to more than just instruction on the court or field.

Having had 13 different coaches in high school alone, I have experienced a spectrum of coaching techniques. With such diversity, there is no single way to coach an athlete. Likewise, coachable athletes are every bit important as the coach themselves.

Different coaching styles have an enormous impact on the way athletes perform with their peers. Some coaches have found success with stricter attitude while others have found it with a looser style. Both these techniques can give players a mental edge to focus during competitions.

Whether it’s how  they give their halftime speeches when the team is losing or the offseason workouts they hold at six in the morning to enhance each player’s athletic ability, coaches have a greater impact on athletes all the time.

Assistant coaches are just as vital. They may not make game-time decisions, but they’re every bit as dedicated to the supportive efforts as the rest of the coaching staff.

Assistant coaches sometimes lay the groundwork for building a program up to its potential, including individual instruction and reviewing recent performances. Because a head coach can not help out individual athletes all the time, these assistant coaches take on a roll that enables more specific instruction with athletes.

Camardella knows how instrumental an entire staff of coaches can be to their team. He has a special history with the coaches he had both in high school and in college.

Camardella attended Hersey High School where his coaches, John Novak, Don Rowley and Kent Borghoff, were vital to him after tearing his ACL and losing his father.

Camardella believes they are the main reason he coaches the way he does today.

I continued to ask Camardella what made him different than any other coach.

“I really don’t know,” Camardella said. “Give me a night to think about it.”

The question doesn’t need to be answered so long that it makes you speculate. So I ask all athletes out there, what coach has made more of an impact on you than just your performance on the court or field?

Young talent takes over

Freshman Jack Terry and sophomore James Riordan both made boys’ cross country history by breaking the frosh/soph records in the 2.5-mile race at home on Thursday, Oct. 9. Terry broke the record with a time of 13:28 and placed second in the frosh/soph boys’ conference race Saturday. Oct. 18. Riordan broke the record with a time of 13:20.

The program as a whole is very young with 22 freshmen on the frosh/soph team and only two seniors on varsity.  However, with the display of underclassmen talent, their goals are still set high.

“[Placing] top 10 [in state] would be great because we were top 20 last year,” head coach Mike Stokes said.

Senior Mike Anderson and juniors Max Crowninshield and Alec Heyde all ran at state last year and are expected to lead the team to a top-10 finish. Stokes believes the team can use their experience because they are familiar with the intense atmosphere state meets bring.

Going into the conference meet, Hersey and Buffalo Grove were the favorites. With the Mid-Suburban League (MSL) being such a strong conference with recent state champion Palatine, and perennial power, Barrington, the team gained valuable high-level competition throughout the season in dual meets against them.

“You get three [runners finishing] every second at the MSL,” Stokes said. “That only happens at the state meet, the MSL and in our sectional.”

The MSL conference meet took place on Saturday, Oct. 18. The team finished third overall with junior Karson LeComte (15:55) taking 20th, Heyde (15:52) taking 18th, junior Matt Cozine (15:51) taking 17th and Anderson (15:47) finishing in 15th place.

Anderson and Tommy Mathews have the challenge of being the only two seniors on the team, but the team views it as a fresh start, according to Stokes.

“It’s hard to lead with only two seniors on the team,” Anderson said. “But overall it’s a great feeling to be where we are at right now.”

Heyde knows it can be tough at times but said they expected only two seniors to be on the team.  As a returner, Heyde saw he had to set an example for the other juniors.  Having been together as a team for so many years together, it wasn’t strange when he had to help some of his teammates along the way.

Heyde and Stokes both see that the team has every single person on board, caring about what they do and getting better.

“They’re workers,” Stokes said. “It’s refreshing that they’re not heading for the door until everything’s done. They want to do their best.”

Heyde explained that the team keeps track of other schools’ performances by reviewing their recent times and races.

“With running, it’s hard to focus on other teams,” Heyde said, mentioning that they update their team group chat about other teams’ standards and talk about them. “I think it’s really cool to see [this dedication] from a cross country team.”

Looking toward the later meets, the team’s goal is to make it to state and finish strong. The Knights have already met their goal of placing third in conference and second in regionals on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Stokes believes the team’s mental hardihood will help them reach their goal of five runners under 15:50 and seven runners under 16:10 for their late-season three mile races.

“They’re mentally tough. That’s because they’ve worked very hard to toughen themselves up,.” Stokes said. “They’re really into the mental aspect of running, and there’s [more] to it than people think … It’ll make you or break you. I don’t think it’s going to break this team.”

Mighty Meyers

The most memorable moment for Sophomore Kaeli Meyers so far this volleyball season was being selected for the all-tournament team in the Glenbard West Invitational on Sept. 20.  Meyers achieved the award for her outstanding play during the tournament against girls more than two years older than her.

According to their teammates, sophomore outside-hitters Meyers and Mary Mazurek have contributed more to a varsity team than sophomores typically do.

“[Meyers] has been awesome this season,” junior setter Michelle Haaning said. “She’s really stepped up, even with her shoulder [injury.]”

Throughout the past fews weeks, Meyers has played through the pain of a shoulder injury while still improving her performance on the court.

“At first, I was really nervous and scared,” Meyers said, “but Cat [Sherwood] and Michelle [Haaning] have really helped me adjust and become a better varsity player.”

Meyers also said that senior libero Sarah Cutaia has helped strengthen her confidence level, and Haaning is excited for the future Meyers has to offer the program.

Just like Meyers, sophomore Maggie Porwit has had the challenge of mixing in with experienced upperclassmen.

Senior middle Catherine Sherwood feels the socialization of the team varies on and off the court.

“During the game, we mesh very well,” Sherwood said. “But socially, we are still getting used to each other.”

New head coach Gabrielle Lovin stepped into her position this offseason and has made some adjustments to the formation of the team and their practices, but she’s kept some aspects similar as well.

Last year, the practices mixed the varsity and JV teams. Now that this season has reached its midpoint, the program has brought that aspect of varsity scrimmages against the JV team back to their practices.

“We are working a lot more with JV,” Haaning said. “So everyone is more comfortable with each other when we have to move people around.”

Not only have the players become more comfortable with each other on the court, but their record (Update tuesday) has shown success so far this season.

“We feed off of each other,” Lovin said, “and if one person has positive energy, that’s what we have to feed off of.”

The players have accepted that positive energy is key to their success.

“We have a young team this year, and we came in with a lot of positive energy,” Haaning said.

Meyers has really enjoyed the energy and fast-paced competition the varsity level has to offer her.

Because of their two losses to Hersey already this season, the team can not win the MSL East. However, they are looking to get revenge against the Huskies later in the playoffs.

“As a team, I think we can make it to regionals and beat Hersey,” Meyers said.

“Kaeli [Meyers] has been awesome,” Sherwood said. “She is usually the one with the most kills in a game, and she’s really stepped up to become a huge part of our offense.”

Before the season started, the team made it their goal to become MSL East champions, but they now look to see what they can do in the playoffs.

“Well, our coach flew here all the way from Florida to coach our team [this season],” junior right side Brenda Kendziera said. “She always says, ‘I’m not leaving here without a regional title.’ I’m mostly excited to make that happen for her, and it would be really cool if we went out with a bang this year.”