Year: Freshman

Height- 5’8

Weight- 130 lbs

Q: What made you start vaulting?

A: I started in eighth grade. I did gymnastics for 10 years and then coaches said I should try vaulting, so I started in 8th grade. I quit gym and started doing this. I like it–it’s fun. I started vaulting about a year ago.

Q re-Game rituals?

A :Not really, I mean, I just get focused with my friends because they’re really supportive.

Q :You set the freshman record?

A :Yeah, it was 12 feet and then I went 12 ¼. I was going over it so I could have easily gotten 12’6. That’s my next goal.

Q :Biggest mistake while vaulting?

A :Just not being focused or getting caught up in distraction. Well, if you don’t make the heights the first time, it’s all learning and getting better.

Q o you start from scratch at practice or are all the vaulters pretty experienced?

A :It depends, we get new people that come and try so we have to teach them how to vault. We start at low heights and just keep improving.

Q :Have you already qualified for State meet?

A :Yeah, I qualified. The qualifying height was 10’3. There’s another girl, a freshman, who’s done 11’6 and a senior that has done 12 feet. I only know there are quite a few 11’s. I’m first in state and either the fourth or sixth freshman in the nation. It was one of those two. That’s what my coach told me. The No. 1 right now is a record holding 12’10.

Q :What keeps you coming back each year to vault?

A :The practices. We have a lot of fun with them and our coach is just a really great coach. He doesn’t really push us too hard to where we don’t want to come back. We still have workouts and build strength and stuff. Everyone’s really nice. It’s just fun to go to practice. It’s not something where you have to go where boring or hard.

Q :Would you say pole vaulting is the hardest event in track and field?

A :It’s definitely the most technical. There is a lot to it. It’s not just running with a stick and jumping. There’s a lot to it that you need to learn and it takes time to learn. So it’s not just one of those things that you can just expect to be really good at for the first time. Gymnastics probably helped because I had a lot of strength coming into it. You need lots of upper body and core strength.

Q id you go to state over the summer?

A :Yeah, I went in eighth grade because I couldn’t compete in the high school meet. 

Overall tennis worked especially hard during the action-packed spring of 2012. The boys had a regular season record of 11 wins and three losses. The boys also defeated Chaparral after not being able to defeat its team for the last two years. The girls had just as many wins, defeating tough opponents such as Chandler.  “It was a hard-fought season, but our work paid off,” the boys tennis coach Wayne Brimley said.

Courtney Floegal works hard at tennis practice.

Track and Field

Track and field did a wonderful job, winning most of its meets this season, for both boys and girls. At invitationals, such as the Aztec and Kiwanis, DV defeated many  teams from the entire state of Arizona and earned spots in the top three several times.

“As a coach, I have enjoyed watching this team grow and mature.  Every meet athletes achieved personal best marks or times.   One of the coaches of the team, Cassandra Cline-McKenzie said.

Baseball

The Desert Vista baseball team tore through its season with very wide leading scores, winning against most of the teams they were put up to face.

The team had a batting average of .297 and maintained a few strong winning streaks over the course of the season of spring. Their hard work earned them a total of 16 wins and 14 losses for the varsity team. Despite facing some fierce competition, the DV baseball team did very well.

Kyle Gibbs practices his batting.

Softball

Desert Vista’s softball team had a season full of improvement, leading themselves to several  victories. The softball team had a regular season record of 12 wins and 6 losses. The team also placed third at the Sun Blast tournament, maintained an eight-game winning streak, and qualified and even won a state playoff game for the first time in three years.

A few members of the softball team enjoying themselves during practice.

 

Summer may seem like a good time to take a break from the rigors of the classroom, but it can be the best time of the year for an athlete to concentrate on getting healthier and stronger for the season.

“Training needs to be required in every athlete’s daily routine,” sophomore Emily Wolph said. “It’s not an option. You choose to come and work or Coach C won’t put up with you.”

Coach C is the athletic trainer at Desert Vista High School. He has prepared athletes during the offseasons to become stronger physically and mentally for many years at Desert Vista. Athletes are expected to take Coach C’s weight training class during the school year, depending on the sport they play or if they are planning to try out for a sport for the following year. In this class, they practice the sport they play or lift weights under the supervision of Coach C.

His sport-specific programs continue for athletes who wish to work out with Coach C in the summer.

“Coach C is an original teacher,”  senior Sarah Lynds said. “He puts extra time into his class and makes crazy workouts that are unheard of. He pushes you to work even when your arms feel like they are about to fall off, literally. I never knew I would be this strong.”

Coach C doesn’t just put workouts on the board then go into his room and sit down eating potato chips during class. He works out with the students. No student is allowed to quit in his room as long as he is present.

“When I was a sophomore, I took Coach C’s weight training class,” junior Jordan Bivens said. “Every time, I would get sent out for not doing work, or if I was doing work, I wouldn’t do it to my full potential. Now I know that I have to try my best to be the best. I am forever grateful that Coach C has taught me that important fact .”

Fund-raising is one of the basic foundations of a student’s high school experience. Once in your life you have to ask a neighbor to help you, either by supporting your team or an extracurricular activity. Knocking on the door in the heavy sun is worth it because in the end, you end up raising money for your school or just yourself.
“I love doing fund-raisers,” said Jamyee Brugman a member of the girls basketball team who has participated in more than a dozen fund-raisers since her freshman year.“They are very fun and entertaining, plus there’s money involved; who doesn’t love money?” girls basketball collected coins that were matched by Midfirst bank, sold t-shirts and popcorn to help raise money for their $250 sports fee.
Student council sold Valentines’ Day candy grams for five dollars each to raise money for prom. Choir members also sold butter braids for $10 each to go towards a field trip. Various extracurricular groups raise money because activities tend to become very expensive.
“For our last concert we’re having we have raised over $14,000,” said Tia Howard, “Yeah, it’s a lot of money, but it’s worth it because we’re doing the things we love,” she continued. “Without fund-raising we wouldn’t be able to have this concert.”
Prom committee has many activities that they fundraise. Parents are helping their children to fundraise, such as selling candy grams that are five dollars a piece or donating canned food. Both of these help pay for prom.
Students raise money for sports as well, and makes it easier so families don’t have to pay for the whole entire sports fee. Various sports sell different types of food like popcorn and pizza, both for $25 each.
“Fund-raising can sometimes be a hassle, since I play so many sports. Selling food to the same people every single time can be kind of difficult ”Lindsey Peyton said who plays on Varsity basketball, “I feel like they understand that I need them to help me so I can play, and not have to pay for all of it.”
Fund-raising helps many of the students you are unable to participate in sports or clubs have the same experience that others have. Several of the clubs and all the sports at our school do activities that leads to fund-raising . Many schools get most of their money by using fund-raisers , Various of schools wouldn’t have prom without fund-raising or donating.

Pre-season  this year is like never before.This year desert vista Football formal state champions, are determined to win it all not only by talent but by hard work.

“If you’re not ready to work hard to your full potential, then you don’t stand a chance.This year pre-season is intense. It will be interesting to the see the people that come to practice over the off season the next day ,or the people that choose to be done with football” Donte Jackson said.

Pre-season football allows athletes to take care of their grades and still be able to play the sport they love. Sometimes making the team is not enough, you need to be prepared and ready for the competition ahead.

Coach Hinds explains to the men that are trying out for football, that not only does pre-season let the coaches know that you are a serious athlete. It also helps build up your stamina. This is a big deal for the football men because they need to stay in shape in order to lead a healthy lifestyle and to have the mental mind to win.

For some of the players this will be their last season “It’s sad to know that you won’t be playing with the same team that  you have been playing with for four years”Kyle Pitmin said “Sometimes I wish I could stay in high school forever, I will never forget my team they are like my family.”

As a team we work and strive, showing our talent, focus & drive,

Shake the thunder from the sky, Desert Vista stands on high.

Noble thunder strong and bold, victory for blue and gold.

The mandatory meeting for information was Tuesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. in room 140 in the C building. The girls who came to the meeting were listening to the requirements of what was needed in the tryouts, which are held on April 9 to April 13, 2012 from three thirty to six in the afternoon daily.

The girls who are going to try out are excited, yet nervous as they attended the mandatory meeting. Next year’s squads include the freshmen team, the JV team, and lastly, the Varsity team. If you can make the team, camp is required to attend during the summer.

“I’ve always done cheerleading since the elementary school, so it’s something I’m confident about with the upcoming tryouts.” Explains junior Corrine Davis, “Ever since high school started I have been on a school squad, but this is my first year at DV so I’m kind of excited to see if I make it to varsity this year.”

To make the team, they look for many things while judging the tryouts. Here’s what they look for: arm placements and angles, bent wrists, toe touches, sharp movements (chants, cheers, and the dance), not bouncy or hippy, smile, jump and tumble on your entrance, neatly put together, and showmanship.

It’s very important to get those placements right when/if you are trying out for the teams. Once the final girls are chosen, the camp is located at NAU. Varsity will show up in on the fifteenth through seventeenth of June 2012. Then, the JV and freshmen team will join the camp from the thirteenth through the fifteenth of July 2012.

Weight – 180 pounds.

Coach Cline took the national team to Europe this summer and has her own track team; Arizona Elite. Many of the girls who run track for the school  team also run club with Coach Cline.
The girls have high goals for this season. Tessa Davis is shooting to break the hurdle record. Dani Jones started her first track season last year and has excelled to the top spots on both varsity track and varsity cross country. She and the rest of the freshman 4×4  team plan on winning state this year. All four girls has competed on the national level and have prior racing experience.
“I want to win state. I think our freshman 4×4 relay can definitely win it,” said Tessa Davis who has been running track for nine years.

The girls have the rest of track season to improve their already stellar team. Cline believes her entire team is strong and knows they can do big things this track season.

“Other schools better watch out for us,” said Cline.

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By: Lotus Rogers