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CORRECTIONS POLICY
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Editors in Chief
Sienna Hanson
Grant Huson
Coverage Editor
Emilia Lettiere
Design Editor
Autumn Pendleton
Managing Editor
Quinn Taute
News Editor
Evelynn Bernardino
Academics Editor
Layla Johnson
Features Editor
Kiona Pedebone
Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Editor
Ethan Barker
Student Life Editor
Patience Brown
Clubs Editor
Gloria Perez Cruz
People Editor
Maren Santiago
Digital Media Editor
Margo Hermann
Graphics Editor
Ezruh Hacker
Sports Editors
Neehla Gracia
Evelyn Beach
Staff
Lillian Bain
Audrey Carter
Yentl Charles
Kolten Clark
Casey Conor
Amelia Cook
Hero Cook
Aubrianna Diga
Cameron Edgbert
Marily Escobar Romero
Ernest Everett
Cash Ewing
Ayden Falkey
Bryson Flores
Bodhi Ganesh
Mariah Geubelle
Roxanna Gonzalez
Dominic Haney
Henry Hannah
HOW WE LEARN FROM THE PAST
Earthquakes, sinkholes, abandoned buildings, and pandemics. Our school is overflowing with stories, from the good to the bad to nearly unbelievable ones.
Past classes have experienced shocking amounts of portables, double principalship, world crises, traumatic evacuations, and more. It is our belief that introspection on history provides useful knowledge on getting through today.
Decision-making is like wringing the water out of a sponge, only to discover the faucet is still running. It seems endless, each answer bringing up another, harder question.
Which college?
Do I even want to pursue education after high school?
What about the SAT?
The ACT?
How do I know?
What do I need?
When is this due?
when it seems useless?
And when we’re done, we have little to show for it but a headache, emails, and a midlife crisis we are no closer to solving. This can be made so much easier by something we like to call, “not ignoring the past.”
Taking a glance at history, from the moment the earth was created to yesterday when you burnt your toast, can help us avoid repeating past mistakes, predict future trends based on past patterns, boost cultural awareness, and develop critical decision making.
Some might argue to “live in the moment,” and “be present,” and there is no doubt that this is important guidance.
It’s a valuable skill to be able to look for the beauty in every situation, no matter how much hair we’ve pulled out. This advice is, however, flawed.
If we were to never look to the future or gaze into the past, the roadmap of life would be missing huge pieces. We would be stumbling, grasping at straws but unable to learn of anything.
If you own a phone, if you live near a library, or if you can spell words like “help me” into your computer, this is your call to stop, take a breath, and realize that there are resources out there that are dedicated to giving insight to students like you.”
Our View
EDITORIAL CARTOON
Jackson Kincaid
Cayley Mccart
Gavin McKethan
Samantha Mowery
Jack Murdock
Brooklyn Myers
Breanna Nelson
Isaiah Pagay
Zazel Redwing
Roman Resseau
Zoey Salazar
Samari Simpson
Jared Smith
Khmera Swazer
Mekala Tailua
Leila Trammell
Lola Woodburn
Emma Zeitler
Adviser
Sandra Coyer, MJE
With the world we live in, it’s so easy to scroll down, flip back, or tap in. Information is just a few clickety-clacks of a keyboard away, thousands of records and websites and Wikipedia searches.
Despite this, it seems as if embracing the past is slowly becoming farther and farther from our grasp. Historical novels are stored in the backs of libraries, hidden behind rows and rows of fantasies and romantic comedies, and globally, the most common Google searches are YouTube, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
We learn by trial and error, but you don’t have to be included in the “error” bit. If you own a phone, live near a library, or can type “help me” into your computer, this is your call to stop, take a breath, and realize that there are resources to give insight to students like you. All you have to do is look.
Graphic by Bryson Flores.
LONG DISTANCE RUNS IN BLOOD
Somewhere in Texas in 2011, I was accompanying my mom in races across the state, sitting in the running stroller as her unofficial cheerleader. I enjoyed the thrill of moving at breakneck speeds for a humble two-to-three-year-old.
As I went with my mother to more and more races and marathons, that feeling eventually, one might even say inevitably, shifted to wanting to run on my own, to prove to myself that I could go the distance.
“grade, my mom recommended me to Coach Monaghan, the head coach for PHS cross country, and I started going to the optional summer off-season practices.
The first day was arduous, and I barely got to three miles. But I did not give up, and I persevered and endured these new distances, eventually mastering the 3-mile run, and could feasibly do four miles.
My efforts resulted in me breaking the 3-minutes mark, getting a 2:47, which I was ecstatic about, a record that would stay until my ninth-grade year.”
Bryson Flores
That was the catalyst for starting my four-year-long running journey that altered my life for the better and made me learn the strengths of perseverance.
My seventh-grade track year was fun. I was placed in the 800m for the meets, and I did shotput as a field event. It felt very surreal running the distances as I did back then. A year ago, I would have said that I would never be able to go even 400m, and here I am, doing 800m, 1600m, even 3200m occasionally. This was likely because I pushed through it and endured the struggle that inevitably comes with running.
Then came next year, and eighth-grade track was a testament to perseverance. I went with deciding to narrow my focus solely to the 800m and focused on that.
I endured the struggles of bad weather and sore muscles. My efforts resulted in me breaking the 3-minute mark, getting a 2:47, which I was ecstatic about, a record that would stay until my ninth-grade year.
Around summer 2023, right after I got done with eighth
As ninth grade came around, I joined the PHS Cross Country (XC) team officially and started official practices. I did decently, though I was one of the slower guys. Despite me not being as fast as other guys, I made up for it in sheer endurance. I still did decent enough though, despite the endurance gauntlet that was the intervals on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the extremely steep hill that was Fish Hatchery. All of this prepared me for the XC meets, which tested my endurance and got me records. When the Bradley Lake JV PR meet came along, I did phenomenal, executing a wickedly fast kick and getting a record of 12:20 that I have still not beaten to this day.
It was around this time that I started going on hikes more often. Hiking, combined with extra long-distance running in general, got me prepared for the ninth-grade track season, where I joined the PHS Track Team.
All was well, until I realized I had shin splints, the archenemy of runners everywhere. I still wanted to run, and still ran not knowing I had them until Monaghan pointed it out. I was out for a week to recover, and acquired
new shoes, which fixed the splints. I continued my season, breaking personal records in the 1600m, 3200m, 800m, but breaking 2:30 in the 800m still eludes me to this day. Eventually all the practices and meets led up to the Freshman Invitational, which is the big event for freshmen. However, it was pouring down rain. Despite the bad weather, I ran the 1600m and 800m, and I performed phenomenally, closing out my season with pride and determination.
Once tenth grade started, I continued my work on the XC team, and the first few days, and meets, went well, and I better times in those meets than the previous year. However, around a week after the
Olympia meet, around late October, I got a knee injury, patella tendonitis to be specific. I was not able to run, or even straighten my leg, without some level of discomfort or pain. It was here that the mentality up really kicked in. I wanted to run.
Overall, my experience with running, and the mentality of not giving up and pushing through the pain shaped how I perceive the world today, as I will press on, never back down, and never give up, no matter the circumstance.
My story could serve as a lesson, for those out there who are struggling with problems in life or are dealing with something arduous.
That lesson is no matter the struggle you’re going through, no matter the challenge, push through it and endure. If it worked for me, it’ll likely work for you too.
MIDLIFE CRISIS AT 18: THE SEQUEL
I will say it outright: You will never meet the standard of “good enough.”
Though it is a harsh sentiment, there is no use in dancing around the truth. There will always be some aspect of our lives where we are not performing at our best, where someone will want more from us, where we will be plagued by insecurity. Try as we might, pushing ourselves and reaching for more will inevitably expose other flaws in our person, because, as they say, perfect is not achievable.
I repeat this mantra to myself almost as much as I repeat my more optimistic beliefs, because at its core, this reality does not have to be one of perpetual disappointment and insufficiency.
I have always pushed myself academically. From a young age, I have worked to set myself apart from my peers, to succeed on tests and impress my teachers. I took advanced courses, signed up for additional classes, and studied to improve my understanding of content. I can often be found in classrooms after school, working a little too hard on some project that was perhaps a little too ambitious (yes, this does include working on student media). Yet, in striving for a higher standard, I introduced myself to self-doubt and a perpetual sense that I need to be doing more.
Yes, I passed chemistry, but I neglected to take calculus. Yes, I created graphic designs that I am proud of, but I lost track of the
deadline and ended up being an inconvenience to my peers. Yes, I studied for the test, but I ran out of time to complete the homework. The A- I poured my soul into can never be the A that I know could be printed on my report card instead.
It is not just at school that I find myself stuck in these insecurities. Successfully completing a long day in classes still finds me at home, putting off doing the dishes and choosing to sleep instead of talking with my family. When I worked retail, I would feel proud for putting on a smile for eight hours, but it would not last in the face of exhaustion and depression after my shift. Putting work into one of my relationships often leaves me too drained to communicate with other people in my life, practicing one of my hobbies leaves no time for others, focusing on myself makes it hard to meet the needs of my loved ones.
“this way. It is a societal problem, after all.
Not only are our minds pointing out all the areas in which we fall short, we are constantly being shown why we are not sufficient. We are reminded that only the best of the best are afforded certain opportunities, that success looks like constantly increasing numbers and climbing status. The demand is for “more,” the focus is on “the most.”
Work not towards some vague goal, but on becoming a happier, more fulfilled version of yourself. It is not easy, but it is the only way to actually be happy with your life.”
Margo Hermann
Practically, it is important to identify where you can improve, but at some point, it becomes too much, something that weighs you down and blinds you to all the progress you have worked so hard to make.
It leads me to wonder how the people I view as better than myself, those more qualified or successful, think about themselves. It is quite likely that they feel insecure as well. This is hardly a temporary problem, but rather a learned behavior that permeates our thoughts no matter our performance.
It is tough to admit it, but I know that I will never be good enough because, deep down, I will never be able to believe it.
unattainable. However, we can still change our approach to this issue. We can make the choice to be optimistic.
Accepting that I will not meet the standards I crave allows me to acknowledge the inherent harmfulness of this thought process. I can practice giving myself grace, I can remind myself that my accomplishments do, in fact, mean something. “Good enough” is as quantifiable as it is attainable. We must put effort into changing the way that we think about our own progress and effort.
Take away the timeline of your sufficiency. Change your perspective on achievement and worthiness. Work not towards some vague goal, but on becoming a happier, more fulfilled version of yourself. It is not easy, but it is the only way to actually be happy with your life.
No, you will never be good enough.
For me, it is not enough to be good; that is not the same as being “good enough.” And I suspect that I am not the only one who feels
Again, it is easy to become upset and despondent about this. It is a paradox where you will always be pursuing something
But you can still be intelligent, accomplished, and worthy.
In fact, you are already. You’ve got this.
What are you doing over Winter Break?
YADDA? YADDA YADDA
“I’m
family.”
Bryson Flores sophomore
Shelley Walker nurse “Going to the ocean and spending time with
Yasir Garcia senior
hanging out with family for the break.”
Amirah Hashim junior “I’m going to Canada.”
Lilie Voger sophomore “Spending time with family.”
Tyson Perez sophomore
“Watching Christmas movies and my birthday party.”
Margo Hermann senior
Teachers Reflect on 25 Years of Puyallup Culture
“When started, there were no computers. I think it was my second year here when the first computer arrived in the building, and it was like this magical box in the faculty room.”
Todd Giltner Orchestra teacher
“We are certainly more deliberate about the social emotional learning portion of it, it’s important that we’re making that attempt.”
Michael Segers Math and Physics teacher
WINTER WISHES TEAM WORKS WONDERS
Kiona Pedebone, Features Editor
It is that time of year, when the wind whistles, the leaves blow, the snow falls. The time of year when family is together, and gifts are passed all around. This time of year, is when winter comes around and the wishes begin.
Every year, Puyallup High School does a tradition that has been around for over a decade; They call this “Winter Wishes.” Winter Wishes is a way to show thanks and give back to the community. It is also a way to show kindness to your friends and classmates by giving them gifts.
Leadership teacher, Jamie Mooring, discusses the origins and goals of Winter Wishes, an event that’s purpose is aimed to bring joy to students.
“It was about 14 years ago, that we went to a leadership conference, and the students got the idea from Bethel High School, and they wanted to incorporate it,” Mooring said. “I said, ‘let’s figure it out’ and so they ran with it and turned it into what it became.”
Mooring says she believes this event can help bring a sense of adoration for students who may need it or who don’t feel it as much as others.
“The goal of it is to just bring some joy to the kids and have our students feel like they are seen, heard and loved,” Mooring said.
Mooring explains what the preparation is like and how her and the leadership students get to where they need to be.
““I love that a simple candy bar can bring a ton of joy to kids, and so delivery day is the best part,” Mooring said. “It might make a difference for somebody and that’s what matters.”
Mooring feels that being a Leadership teacher is a gift that she gets from her students.
“
“I think that I get to see a very interesting side of students and culture; I see the hard work that goes into trying to make this a place that kids want to be at and what I think is hard to see is that PHS is very different from most schools,” Mooring said. “We’re not perfect, we’re not meeting every need of everybody, but we sure are trying to make a difference, and I think that’s amazing.”
how it made her feel.
I think it really connects the community together and it just brings morale, especially right before winter break...”
Leadership student, Maren Santiago, gives insight on the process and experience when getting ready for Winter Wishes.
“Some of the stuff is from donations and the other stuff is from the ASB and leadership funding we get from the school,” Santiago said.
I love that a simple candy bar can bring a ton of joy to kids, and so delivery day is the best part.”
“It’s just a lot of logistical organization; we take the wishes that come in, they’re categorized into different subgroups and then we do the best we can to grant as many as we can,” Mooring said. “But it is all donation based for the most part, we fundraise, and we ask for donations from the community.”
Jamie Mooring Leadership teacher
Mooring also discusses some of the hardships they face when getting ready for Winter Wishes and whether anything has changed.
“We can’t grant everything and that’s one of the biggest hardships, we want to but it’s just impossible,” Mooring said. “No, it runs like clockwork, it’s busy and organized chaos.”
While there are some hardships and changes to everything, Mooring says her favorite part in this event is the small moments.
Last year, the team faced some obstacles when it came to getting gifts and donations.
“The other thing we faced last year was some people wanted pets, and they wanted a puppy, and we usually try to get animals from shelters because we want to save those animals instead of trying to buy one from a breeder,” Santiago said.
Starting the work early ensures that the gifts will be in stock, as the Christmas season can be hectic when ordering gifts.
“Sometimes when we’re looking on Amazon for stuff, it’ll be too expensive or they won’t be in stock, or it won’t come on time,” Santiago said. “It just really depends, we try jumping on it early, when we’re online ordering so we get it in on time.”
Santiago describes how the teamwork looks like while preparing for Winter Wishes.
“There’s a bunch of different dynamics in the class, so everyone’s team is a little bit different, I know my team is very organized, we have a spread, and people are assigned to call certain restaurants and then we’re supposed to report back into the spread on what we got,” Santiago said.
Santiago explains her experience with winter wishes and
As you flip through the senior section of the 1999 yearbook, there might be some style choices that leap out at you. Maybe it’s the abundance of flannels. Maybe it’s the spiky hair and frosted tips.
Or maybe, it’s Mat von Ehrenkrook, known in his high school days as Binky, with a duct tape suit and two strands of blond hair standing out from a buzz cut.
“I’ve got to tell you, I was a wild one… I’ve got to give it to the teachers for putting up with [me],” von Ehrenkrook said.
The newspaper and yearbooks from that time reveal that he was something of a local legend: blaming a soda machine falling on him for being late to class, inviting a radio host to Homecoming, and appearing in people’s dreams to save them from runaway golf carts. But where did his nickname come from?
“When I was a teacher’s assistant in junior high… I was a TA for a teacher named Mr. Buttons. And Mr. Buttons was all everyone talked about in the hallways. And I got to thinking, you know, ‘People only like to talk about him because his name is so fun to say.’ And so, I decided I would be his TA… and make the underclassmen call me Mr. Binky,” von Ehrenkrook said. “It came from Pinky and the Brain and… I mashed those two
“I know when I was a sophomore, I wasn’t in leadership, but I remember them doing winter wishes and walking around in their matching shirts and stuff, I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is so cool,’” Santiago said. “So then when I got to be a part of leadership and do it, I had a blast.”
Isla Osoria senior
Along with what the students look forward to, Santiago also talks about what she looks forward to.
“I know my favorite part is giving the stuff to people because they get so excited and their facial expressions are so cute,” Santiago said. “I like that it makes peoples day, you don’t think you’re going to get anything and then someone walks in, and they hand them a bouquet of flowers, they’re like oh my gosh this is awesome, and it’s just making people happier.”
Senior Isla Osoria expresses her positive opinions on Winter Wishes.
“I think it’s great because it brings a little bit of holiday cheer in,” Osoria said.
Osoria talks about some of the gifts she got during last year’s Winter Wishes.
“Last year I got a backpack because my other one was falling apart, I also got a coffee and some wireless earbuds,” Osoria said.
Osoria also expresses how it made her feel knowing that someone wished her those gifts.
“It made me feel really happy and knowing that someone else was looking out for me made me feel safe,” Osoria said.
Osoria discusses how Winter Wishes has been an impactful experience for her.
“I definitely still use that backpack all the time as my traveling bag and knowing it was from a friend, someone who’s very special to me, lets me try to be the best person I can be because she’s a super sweet person, she’s great, and I want to spread that kindness everywhere I go,” Osoria said.
Osoria gives her opinion on if she thinks it is important for Winter Wishes to continue.
“I think it really connects the community together and it just brings morale, especially right before winter break and people tend to get burned out and tired and bringing up everyone’s motivation before they leave lets them get a nice, restful break before they come back for the end of semester,” Osoria said.
ALUMNUS REMINISCES ON HIGH SCHOOL HIJINKS
together and came up with a fun name for people to call me.”
Currently an art director for Wizards of the Coast, which publishes games like Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, von Ehrenkrook honed his art skills as a cartoonist for this paper. During his time here, he was able to compete at the national high school journalism conference in Washington, D.C.
“It was my first time ever in D.C., and to go with my classmates and see all the museums was super fun. I had… a competition with all the other artists from all the other schools. They didn’t really have a first place. It was just a recognition award, but I was the only one who got that award for being the artist, which was nice. It was real fun,” von Ehrenkrook said.
I want to thank all the teachers, I put them through hell, and they did me a service of making sure that I was equipped to go out into the workplace...”
Mat von Ehrenkrook alumnus
decided one year to get everyone excited and wrestle a chair…There was a little WWF [World Wrestling Federation] stage made of stanchions. And I ripped off my shirt, and I was wearing my Speedo that I was given by PHS as a uniform for water polo. And I was just thinking ‘This is basically what the WWF wears when they wrestle,’” von Ehrenkrook said. “I didn’t want to wrestle another person, so I wrestled an inanimate object, which was a chair from the cafeteria, and everyone thought it was hilarious… but all the teachers were aghast, and they were like, ‘I can’t believe he wore the speedo in front of the entire school…’ I don’t think it was that big of a deal, but they didn’t seem to think it was very appropriate, and now everyone has to get their cheers approved by staff before they go into an assembly. So that’s on me.”
von Ehrenkrook also joined the cross-country team, albeit briefly.
Another of von Ehrenkrook’s activities as a PHS student was as the yell leader for the senior class of 1999. His time in that role led to lasting effects on pep assemblies that still persist today.
“I am the reason you guys can’t wear Speedos in your assemblies because I
“My parents were like, ‘you need to do something in the off season and stay active.’ I got into cross country… I thought it was sort of like the Hunger Games, where you kind of like, run off into the woods and then people push and shove each other to make it through this obstacle course to get to the
end,” von Ehrenkrook said. And my first match, I decided that I would sprint into the woods at Wildwood Park, and I hid and I waited for other teams to pass by, and I would jump out of the woods, and I would pull them down to the ground and rub dirt in their face and push them off into the bushes and then sprint down the path and hide in the bushes again. And apparently, that’s not how cross country works at all. I got booted from the cross-country team after that match.”
Despite his misadventures and misunderstandings, von Ehrenkrook looks back fondly on his high school experience and the teachers who helped guide him.
“It’s been such a journey down memory lane… thinking of all the times and horrible, horrible things that I did while I was at school. I’m pretty sure the teachers came together and thought ‘If we don’t let him graduate, he’s going to come back for another year. Let’s just give him his diploma and get him out of here.’ And so because of that, I want to thank all the teachers, I put them through hell, and they did me a service of making sure that I was equipped to go out into the workplace and take the values and talents that I had and apply them to a to a career,” von Ehrenkrook said.
Ethan Barker, ACE Editor
Photo Courtesy Mat von Ehrenkrook.
1974 1999
Ethan Barker, ACE Editor
‘THE
TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE’
This is a movie you can physically feel. The unsettling set design, drone of the soundtrack, and grainy cinematography makes it feel like the movie is sweating, crawling in your skin, and fermenting there.
The story follows a group on a road trip who briefly stop by an abandoned house two of them grew up in. However, they soon discover that the house next door is inhabited by a family of cannibalistic killers. While the film is terrifying, there is very little blood or gore. When Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) hangs one of the group on a wall with a meat hook, we don’t see it go through, but the camera zooms in on her face instead. The film lets us imagine the horror in our minds, more terrifying than showing it.
With Sheer Heart Attack, Queen began to solidify their radio-friendly pop-rock sound with songs that are timeless even today.
Containing one of their most popular songs, “Killer Queen,” the album has so many more great tracks.
“Brighton Rock” is a three-minute showcase of guitar acrobatics from Brian May and drumming that fits perfectly with the rest of the song from Roger Taylor. The song was featured in the 2017 film Baby Driver, introducing it to a modern audience.
“Stone Cold Crazy,” eventually covered by metal legends Metallica, is a precursor to thrash and speed metal before James Hetfield had even picked up his first guitar.
And the three-song medley of “Tenement Funster,” “Flick of the Wrist,” and “Lily of the Valley” is a highlight, showing the varied sounds of Queen from rockers to ballads.
While most of the tracks, apart from “Killer Queen,” don’t have the instant recognition of the songs you’ll hear all the time on classic rock radio, the album is certainly worth a listen.
‘THE
Visually dazzling, technologically groundbreaking, and with a story that has remained timeless since it was released, The Matrix is rightfully hailed as one of the best sci-fi and action movies of all time.
The film’s protagonist, Neo (Keanu Reeves) is led to Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne). There, he learns that the world he lives in is a false construct, a creation by superintelligent AI that allows them to harvest energy and computing power from their bodies in the “real world.” He has the power to manipulate the Matrix and help free humanity.
The action in the film is slick, fast paced, and still feels incredibly fresh. It feels like you’re watching panels from a comic pasted to real life, especially with the direction of the Wachowskis and their influences from classic anime like Ghost in the Shell. The film pioneered the “bullet time” effect, where time appears to freeze around the characters while the camera moves around them.
Propelled by hits including “Toxic,” “Oops!... I Did It Again,” and the title track of this album, “…Baby One More Time,” Britney Spears is a pop legend nowadays. Her voice is mature for the then-18-year-old, and distinctive from other pop stars of the time. Despite that, her first album is somewhat forgettable, outside of a few standouts. Of course, the title track is a pop classic, with the wah-wah guitar lines throughout and the iconic piano riff opening. It has been repeatedly referred to as one of the best debut singles of all time, and has sold over 10 million units. “You Drive Me Crazy” has a similar structure to “…Baby One More Time,” but features a heavier sound with distorted guitars, slap bass, and a recurring, catchy bell hook. It’s even better in it’s remixed form, with a catchier intro, a fuller sound, and a new bridge.
However, other songs are the most basic pop imaginable, with outdated ballads like “E-Mail My Heart” or weird reggae diversions like “Soda Pop.”
TITLE ARTIST
“Believe” Cher
“No Scrubs” TLC
“Angel of Mine” Monica #4 “Heartbreak Hotel” Whitney Houston, feat. Faith Evans and Kelly Price #5 “...Baby One More Time” Britney Spears
Graphic by Olivia Bowen.
Definite Dozen Does it Again
‘99 Volleyball Team Dominates Districts and State
Every team has something special, something that sets them apart in history, and Tony Batinovich’s team from 1999 is no different. With a record of 36-2 and several players going on to play in college, there was no doubt in their coach’s mind that these girls were destined to go places.
Sienna Hanson, Co-chief
It’s 1999, and Puyallup’s team is compet ing with Auburn Riverside for not only the districts title but a bid to State. The sounds of fans cheering, coaches shouting instruc tions and players encouraging each other fill the court. They can’t slip up.
The entire gym exhales as the score board flips from fourteen to fifteen. Puy allup has won, awarding them the districts title and a sure bid to state. Pom poms are frantically waving, players are embracing each other, and the referees are settling the final scores.
“improve, work smarter, not harder. That’s why we called ourselves a definite dozen.”
The team’s coach, Tony Batinovich, marveled at how the team had stayed together through challenges, wins, and losses.
“Auburn, at that time, had a good pro gram too, and they were kind of our arch nemesis. In the finals, it was two to one. It was a good match, it really was,” Batinovich said.
In the same districts tournament, the team had faced a moment that truly bond ed them for forever.
“There was an unfortunate situation that happened to us at that tournament. It was right around homecoming time here at Puyallup, and unfortunately, one of our girls’ dates committed suicide,” Batinovich said.
At the time, none of the girls knew. It was up to Coach Batinovich and the girls’ parents to break the news.
Together,thevarsitygirlspose forateamphoto.The1999team bonded over both victories and external defeats.Photocourtesy TheVikingyearbook. TheVikings’ teamof1999 celebrateafteryetanother victory.Thegirlsnotonlywon Districts but also took fourth at State.PhotocourtesyTheViking yearbook.
“After we were done playing that day; we had to let them know. They took the two girls, they were twins, in one of the
placed fourth the year before, as juniors, so they knew that they had it in him,” Batinovich said.
All sport experience some sort of change as time goes on, and volleyball is no
“There were four girls that went and played in college. One at Western one at Seattle, one at PLU and our setter went to Spokane Falls Community College, which was one of the best community colleges in
see, had this book out called the Definite Dozen,” Batinovich said. “Pat Summit’s thing was about how to improve, work smarter, not harder. That’s why we called ourselves a definite dozen.”
Freshman Swimmer Brings Heat
Grant Huson, Co-chief
A whistle blows. Water splashes.
People cheer.
Excitement rises as the swimmers blow through the water at immense speeds. One slip up could cause them to fall behind in the race. Despite all of this, freshman swimmer Gavin Wiley doesn’t seem to mind; he’s learned to adapt to the pressure of swim meets.
Wiley has been swimming for over six years now, first starting out learning how to swim and eventually getting to 29.98 second 50-meter freestyle.
“I started swimming at swimming lessons at a young age, and I just never really stopped. I’ve just been doing it my whole
life,” Wiley said. Wiley has already gotten a taste of the competitiveness of high school athletics as a member of the varsity water polo team. However he is still excited to see how high school swim will be different from what he is used to.
“This is my second [high school] sport, after water polo and so far it’s been a lot a lot of fun,” Wiley said.
Outside of high school swim season, Wiley participates in club swim. While most is the same between high schooland club, there are a couple differences between the two.
“There’s a lot less events, a lot less distance, so no 200 meter fly,” Wiley said.
“Everything’s a lot faster, a normal club swim meet is over two days, and [high
school] is maybe three hours max.”
In Wiley’s opinion, supporters can be a huge factor in how you perform in sports, friends and family showing up to your events can encourage you to grow as an athlete.
“I started slow, I got faster. I’ve had a lot of friends through school and they’ve supported me a lot, and overall that’s helped me a lot as a swimmer,” Wiley said.
“I started slow, I got faster. I’ve had a lot of friends through school and they’ve supported me a lot, and overall that’s helped me a lot as a swimmer.”
Gavin Wiley freshman
“My parents [are my biggest supporters], they’ve always been there for me.”
Wiley believes he still has a ways to go in swimming, hoping to improve on endurance and technique.
“My overall endurance, and probably a little bit of tweaking on technique,” Wiley said.
Wiley says personal goals can encourage an athlete to work harder during their respective season.
“My goals for this season are to get a sub minute on my 100-meter fly and improve my freestyle,” Wiley said.
