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Written by Rebecca Wadle
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Thursday, 17 September 2009 07:58 |
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The clock ticks down, and with twenty yards to go the junior girls are ahead. The senior girls want a touchdown to win the game, and they will do anything to get it. With twenty seconds left on the clock one senior is open in the end zone, and the quarterback throws the ball. As the ball enters her hands, a junior knocks the ball out of them and down she goes. “Girls are so moody and competitive, which takes the fun out of the game,” senior Jourdan Mercurio said.  After many years of powder-puff tradition, the games were suddenly ended. Many Lee’s Summit High School students wondered why they were stopped and wanted it back. “I think it would take some dedication and maturity from the girl’s part to bring it back. We would need to treat it just as any other sport with respect and good sportsmanship,” Mercurio said. Powder-puff is a flag football game for junior and senior girls who enjoy playing the game of football and is something many high school girls look forward to. Junior Allison Cook said, “Personally, I think a lot of girls would love to do it and I think there would be a lot of fans and attention attracted to it.” Whether we get powder-puff games back or not, there will always be girls ready to show the boys that they too can play the rough game of football. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 March 2010 07:55 )
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Thursday, 17 September 2009 07:04 |
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Their legs are tired and their lungs burn. Their whole body is telling them to quit, to just start walking for a bit and relax. But they look behind themselves and see another runner gaining on them. So they do not stop, they speed up. The cross country team this year is going to have to use their will to win in order to close the gap between them and their rivals, Lee’s Summit West High School and Lee’s Summit North High School, in order to compete. “I think we can actually beat North, but West is a long shot since they’re first in state,” senior Craig Schrankler said. According to sophomore Jordan Andrews the team is underestimated, but they have been working hard, and are ready to show off their speed. “Actually we’ve upped our mileage from six to eight miles a week to try to close the gap between Lee’s Summit North and Lee’s Summit West,” cross country coach Chad Jansen said. The team is ranked fifth in the Metro area, while West and North are ranked first and second, respectively. The team has performed well so far this season and plan to continue to progress. The have taken second in both of their meets so far, only losing to Lee’s Summit North. “Based off of last weekend’s race, I think they know we’re going to be good this year,” Schrankler said. This year the Tigers will be racing against more than one clock, they will be racing against the amount of time remaining in order to catapult ahead of the other teams. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 September 2009 07:18 )
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Written by Andrew Barnhart
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Friday, 09 January 2009 22:26 |
Three Tiger athletes compete on a city-wide hockey team against other schools.
North. West. Our rivals. Our enemies. How can any Tiger athlete be on the same team with a Bronco, a Titan?
Skyler West, Nathan Williams, and Chris Mitchell all play on the Lee’s Summit Storm. The Storm is a hockey team that represents all three schools in the Lee’s Summit area; yes the Broncos, the Titans, and the Tigers.
West, Williams, and Mitchell are the ones who represent our school on the Storm.
“I heard about the team from other hockey players. Just by playing you hear about it,” Williams said.
West, Williams, and Mitchell all heard about the team through the hockey community. Other students are not that lucky, few students know we have a team.
“I think people don’t know that we have a team because it is not advertised like football and basketball,” West said.
Football and Basketball get the attention of the student body. Only a few even know there is a hockey team at the school.
The hockey team is unique. Things could get interesting being on a team with a rival.
“It’s not as tough as you would think. We are a team. We play as a team. There are no hard feelings. Our only real rival is Rockhurst,” West said.
Williams echoed this. “Oh yeah, that’s no problem. We are all friends.”
To prepare for a team such as this, the athletes have to work really hard.
“I played seven years of roller hockey before playing for the team,” Williams said.
West and Mitchell both play on the same travel team and that has helped them a lot when playing for the school.
“The team is pretty decent. We have only lost a few [games], but we still have to work a few things out,” West said.
The Storm also play their games at Pepsi Ice. The games are played on Wednesdays and occasionally on the weekends.
For this one time, This one sport, all Lee’s Summit can put aside their differences and cheer on the Storm. However, this does not change everything. Come Friday nights, Tigers do not cheer for Broncos.
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Written by Nate Day
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Friday, 09 January 2009 22:24 |
Morning weights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, practice every day and a strict diet; that epitome of commitment. That shows the commitment these girls have to the team. According to some swimmers there will be cuts this year on the girls swimming and diving team. With such a large turnout that they need to make cuts gives hope that the team will be even better than ever.
Many people follow strict diets and training to help improve in a sport. Some wrestlers must diet to maintain their weight, the girls swimming and diving team is on a strict diet as well. Components of this diet are mainly fish, turkey, chicken, fruits, vegetables and vitamins. To drink they are allowed to have water. Many things are cut out to help make the swimmers and divers healthier. One of the things cut out is red meat, this means beef, steak and other foods of that nature. They also are not supposed to have sugar, caffeine or salt.
“There are some girls who have not gone off the diet in four years,” sophomore Sarah-Grace Miller said.
This shows that the diet can be followed but also the commitment the girls show to working hard and training to be the best.
“We work hard, practice, and do weights,” sophomore Clair Bohlman said.
Training is a big part of becoming a better athlete, swimming and diving is no exception. The team has weights three times a week and practice every day, divers also have trampoline practice and swimmers watch videos to improve technique.
Also in swimming and diving, unlike most other sports, an athlete cannot just train to one specific race. They have to perform in many different events and dives each meet. This will help to make better all around swimmers and divers rather than just people who can only perform in one event.
“Training is more difficult because of minimal pool space.” Miller said
“Consider all three Lees Summit football teams practicing on one field, that’s how it is in the pool.”
“Practice is not that bad, except for the fact there are seven people in a lane and many times, more,” sophomore Rachel Reynolds said.
With a small amount of pool space practice can be difficult. This could be even harder due to the fact that enough girls turned out for try outs that they needed to make cuts.
“I am really looking forward to the new pool next year,” Reynolds said.
Hopefully the new pool will solve the space problem.
A good team also has to be a close team. To be friends with one another can help improve teamwork and pushing each other to be better than before.
“I love loading up on the bus everyday to go to the pool. Everyone is talking and laughing together,” Miller said.
These close bonds will hopefully help everyone strive to be better and encourage the people and friends around them to be better.
At each meet you will have one swim, two events, and two relays. Reynolds says she has swam every event but likes the 200 free, the best because that is what she made state in last year.
Many swimmers and divers anticipate this year to be a great one. Reynolds mentioned that there are several good returning upperclassman and some decent freshman that came in. She also thinks they can make state in the 400 free relay.
“It is really fun but also a lot of work,” Reynolds said.
Every one has a different level of commitment, often times people will put all their effort into being the best of their sport or they will not put any effort in at all. Our swimming and diving team here at Lee’s Summit certainly put a lot of effort in to being the best and have exhibited their commitment to the sport. Hopefully this will be a great season for the team and for our school’s athletics. |
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