By Benjamin Baxter
`Consisting of 26.2 miles, the marathon is a footrace and final event of the Olympics. The most notable distance race in the world, the marathon originated from the Battle of Marathon in which the Greeks and Persians fought. After the battle, a messenger informed the king of the victory, and upon his arrival, he shouted, “We have won” before dropping dead. Many runners claim the marathon is the most advanced and difficult race not only because of trekking the distance, but also keeping one’s mind set and running through the pain. Overcoming both the physical and mental pain while maintaining an effort proves to be symbolic of strength and resilience.. Though the accomplishment stems from going the distance with the best possible speed, many choose to partake in such races repeatedly. For some, the marathon is less of a challenge and more of a sport. Not every athlete participating in marathons worries about his time, but many aim for improving not only their own times, but those records set by others. One such man is Dennis Kimetto, the world record holder with a time of 2:02:57, which he set in Berlin at the most competitive marathon in the world. Boston is the location of the most competitive marathon in the United States. It originated in 1897 and draws runners from around the world. Last year, Meb Keflezghi was the only American victor in over two decades to win the race. During the previous year, the race made headlines for a disturbing reason, as a bomb went off at the finish line when most of the runners were approaching the end of their race. Three people dies, and over 140 suffered injuries. One does not simply decide to run a marathon; serious training is involved. While some people will walk much of the race, or even the whole distance, others who run the distance know the value of endless hours of practice. Training for most consists of waking up early in the morning just to run 15 miles before heading to work. Such workouts take months, and one cannot just stop for indefinite amounts of time, for he will lose the endurance he builds up in the process. When some people think of a marathon, they assume it is merely running for a couple of hours and calling it a day, probably due to all of the stickers on backs of cars showing the distance. Every person who runs the marathon has his own story. Some just run and walk to claim they accomplished the feat, but most others explain that finishing such a feat means much more. They do not just mention the races they completed or even won, but rather they stress the sacrifices they made and how they endured the pain. Additionally, a marathon runner enjoys exerting his body to its peak. For a true understanding of all that running a marathon includes, on must actually consider training and participating in a race. By Katie Debnam
Sadly, the 2014-2015 NFL football schedule has come to an end, but that only means the start of practice for the 2015-2016 football season. The Carolina Panthers had their fair share of ups and downs this past year. Between Cam Newton’s previous injuries, followed later by a car accident, and then a six-game winning streak, the season certainly was dramatic. During the first six weeks, the Panthers started with a mixture of three wins, two losses, and one tie with the Cincinnati Bengals. At the beginning of week seven, the downfall began with a devastating loss to the Packers, 38-17. With stiff upper lips, the athletes then triumphed over the New Orleans Saints in a 41-10 blowout in an away game. Just a few days later, December 9, 2014, quarterback Cam Newton survived a serious car accident. Fans bit their fingernails, anticipating the news to come. Carried out of the car and giving a thumbs up, Newton was all right, other than a fractured back that left him on the bench for a couple of games. Fans were relieved that he was alive and well. Newton’s fractured back did not affect the Panthers’ record, as they continued to win game after game and won the Division Title with a 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Interestingly enough, this year was the second year in a row with a Division Title against the Saints, Buccaneers, and Falcons. At the start of the postseason, the Panthers battled against the Arizona Cardinals and came out on top with a 27-16 win, thus progressing to the final playoff round against the Seattle Seahawks. On January 5, 2015, Panther’s coach Ron Rivera’s suffered a fire, yet another crisis for the team and fans. Rivera and his family were safe, but the house had severe damage, totaling over $5 million. Panthers’ fans even sent money to help pay for the damages and new renovations, which is why the team claims that they have “the best fans in the world.” Playing against the Seahawks was the last game in the Panthers' season, for they came up short with a crushing 17-31 loss. Although the season ended, Rivera and his athletes continue looking forward to the next season. They believe that they can achieve yet another Division Title and make their way to the preseason again. Let’s Go, Panthers! Keep Pounding! By Lindsay Kirby
HOW IT WORKS Sixteen drivers who qualify for “the chase” each begin with 2000 points. Additionally, they earn three extra points for every win during the first 26 regular-season races. Once all points are added together, racers are ranked in order of reset points. DIFFERENT ROUNDS Challenger Round: Sixteen drivers race at Chicagoland Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Dover International Speedway for the twelve contender spots available. A win at any of the three races means a participant automatically advances into the next round. Order of points scored in those three races determines the other contenders. After this round, each advancing driver will be reset to 3,000 points. Tiebreaker: A tie in any position requires a tiebreaker; only the three races in the Challenger Round matter. Regular season scores do not count, so these nine drivers must run up front in the race to challenge for the win. If they cannot win the race, they must still have more top finishes than their competitors in order to break the tie and advance. Contender Round: The twelve drivers remaining battle it out at Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway for the eight spots available in the next round. A victory at any of the three races means the driver automatically advances into the next round, after which each advancing driver will be reset to 4,000 points. Tiebreaker: Again, a tie in any position requires a tiebreaker. Similar rules apply as mentioned above. Eliminator Round: Eight drivers now race at Martinsville Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Phoenix International Raceway for the four spots available in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. A victory at any of the three races means automatic advancement into the next round, after which each advancing driver will be reset to 5,000 points. NASCAR SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIP Winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship involves ranking as the highest finisher among the four finalists at Homestead-Miami Speedway. By Olivia Reich
Sports enthusiasts look forward to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio is Brazil’s second largest city, losing out to Sao Paulo. The International Olympic Committee has received over 240,000 volunteer applications from Brazilian locals and others from 191 different countries, which is understandable since Rio is Brazil’s most popular tourist destination This beautiful city, with a population estimated of 6.5 million people, is home to many amazing attractions, including the famous Christ the Redeemer statue. People who reside in Rio de Janeiro celebrate Brazil’s largest holiday, Carnival, which attracts millions of tourists each year. Rio has beautiful weather all year long, with average highs in the 80s and average lows in the 70s, making it an ideal spot to host the Outdoor Summer Olympics in 2016. By Alexus Huntley
Besides teaching math, varsity women’s basketball coach Bettina Gunn enjoys her role in the Whirlie Athletic Department. Forty-two young women signed up for tryouts, but only twelve will make the varsity squad; some of the others will play for JV. “Eight girls from last year’s varsity team are trying out this year. Some freshmen may make the team,” said Gunn. At the time, the coach was unsure of who the JV coach would be since Athletic Director Lewis Newman was still in the process of hiring one. Besides a demonstration of basketball skills, academics, attendance, and compassion for others are essential traits for Gunn's players. “High character makes a great teammate! Those who can be a great teammate, even without many basketball skills, have the work ethic to be a good basketball player,” said Gunn. Some of these traits are observable in tryouts and during practice. Before a student can make the team, she must complete a packet, known as the eligibility packet, to verify eligibility. When she is not coaching her team, Gunn enjoys watching NCAA and NBA basketball. Though Gunn does not claim any of the college or professional teams as her favorite, she does have a role model from the world of basketball, Kay Yow who coached the NC State Wolfpack's women's team from 1975 until 2009. Gunn considers Yow's courageous battle with cancer inspiring. Her integrity as a coach is an ideal that Gunn strives to emulate with her players. Gunn played basketball for four years at Eastern Guilford High School and two years for Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, Georgia. With numerous cases recently concerning domestic violence accusations among professional athletes, Gunn believes that such behavior is unacceptable, yet the role of the coach in such matters is difficult. “It is hard for sports officials/coaches to play policemen, judges or jury. They must be very careful not to incriminate players before the court system has its chance at due process,” said Gunn. Cross country runners perform well
By Benjamin Baxter Cross country season is off to a promising start. Female runners scored first place in the Guilford County Championships and third place in the very challenging Myers Park Invitational, while men scored third and fifth place, respectively. Junior Blair Ramsey was the county runner-up and won the Myers Park Invitational. Freshman Olivia Romine's times placed in the top three females on the team. Senior Sydney Gilstrap, who has only run one meet thus far, still holds a spot in the top three. Top three men include senior Joel Freeman, junior Austin Slowin, and junior Aaron Sisk, who specializes in the 800m but still excels in the 5000m. Coaches Seth Peoples and Profe Jade Dickerson continue as coaches. Peoples also coaches outdoor track in the spring. "Profe and I have been more excited about this year than most. We have a large group of solid ninth graders moving up from strong middle school performances. Additionally, we have had even more of our elite athletes put in a stronger summer training, so there is more of a sense of the unknown to anticipate," said Peoples. Athletes place individually based upon their times, and then scores from the top five runners comprise the accumulated points for the entire team. The team with the least amount of points wins. Seven strong runners are necessary, as well as backup runners if an athlete suffers from an injury. Three miles on a designated trail provides the event venue. The distance does not trouble the athletes; however, what challenges them is racing against faster competitors and tough courses. Most cross country runners insist that the sport requires just as much mental stamina as physical strength and speed. One must endure the pain and sprint to the end. With the threat of burning out or moving too slowly, planning ahead is also important to maintain a good pace. Runners recently competed in the first Metro Pre-Conference on September 10. Whirlie women took first place, and the men took second. By Katie Debnam September 22, 2014 was a night of miracles and history making for field hockey in only its second year as a Whirlie sport. With a disappointing 0-2 record after losses to Northwest (0-4) and East Forsyth (0-1 in overtime), followed by a cancelation of the Mount Tabor game due to a storm at halftime, with a 0-0 score, the varsity field hockey team took the field determined to perform at its best. The athletes built up their confidence and convinced themselves that this next game would make the other losses seem like forgotten nightmares.
Once the whistle blew, it was game on. At halftime, the score was 2-0 with the Whirlies in the lead. Within two hours, the team beat Bishop McGuiness 5-0 with its first goal ever scored in a regular season game. It was also the first victory in the school’s field hockey history. The young women could not help but show their enthusiasm and excitement when the buzzer signaled the end of the game. All of them ran up to the goalie, sophomore Katie Debnam, and jumped into a dog pile. Senior players took pictures of the scoreboard and cried from utter joy. Coach Laura Colby, alumnus from UNCW and Northwest, jumped up and down at the end of the game. When the team made it off the field and into a huddle, Colby had a huge smile on her face. “You guys did it! I knew that you could, and you did,” Colby said. |
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