Norwood High School is very excited for the upcoming sports this spring. Norwood has a good amount of spring sports that the students are able to try out for, including: boys tennis, softball, baseball and track.
Boys tennis has been strong the past couple years, but they are missing some strong players from previous years. Emily Jones, the AD secretary, says, “Nothing is going to stop this team from working their hardest."
The boys tennis team doesn't have a JV team from the result of being short on numbers this year. You might be wondering, “where is the girl’s team?” The girls tennis team plays in the fall. For boys tennis, it's not too late to join if you're looking for a fun sport to play.
The high school track team is very excited for this upcoming season. The track team is combined with girls and boys, but when they practice they have separate coaches. The boys have a new coach this season, but this coach is not new to Norwood. Larry Parker coached at Norwood in previous years and had a strong track team and cross country team.
Track is getting new warm ups this year, and Senior Carter Horsely says, “I can't wait to get them so we can look like a team." The track coaches are excited to see what they will achieve this year.
The Lady Indians softball team had their tryouts approximately two weeks ago and a good amount of people tried out this year. This means they were able to have a JV team and the softball coaches were really excited about that. The softball team got new bags this season to put all their equipment in. To help improve the softball program for the future, they added a middle school team.
Jones says, “I anticipate a strong showing for the varsity team."
The high school boys baseball team did not have a JV team last year and more people came to tryouts this year, which means they were able to have a JV team this year. Junior Dillion Jones feels like they will be way better this year than they were last year. Last year they won 10 out of 25 games and Jones is hoping to win more this year. Also, this year the baseball team will be getting new hats for the season of 2020. 2020 baseball hats will be open for public sales, so if you wanna help the varsity baseball boys raise money, purchase a hat at the student store.
Sadly, the winter state tournament has been completely cancelled because of the Coronavirus. The athletic director and the rest of the staff doesn't know what will be happening with the spring sports. But as of right now the practices and the games will go on. Norwood can't wait to see what these sports will achieve this spring.
The NBA All-Star Game Weekend
Source: NBA.com
By Elijah Partin March 6, 2020 The NBA All-Star game weekend showcases a series of basketball events including the celebrity, rising stars, 3-point contest, slam dunk contest and the All-Star Game. These basketball events started on Friday, Feb. 14 and ended Sunday, Feb. 16.
The first event on Friday, Feb. 14 was the Ruffles Celebrity Game. For the Celebrity Game, rapper and recording artist Common was captain for one of the teams. He ended up winning the MVP through fan voting. He scored 10 points and 5 rebounds. Not only that, but he had 3 assists with 4 steals.
The next event that same day was the Rising Stars Game. Power forward Miles Bridges from the Hornets ended up winning the MVP. Now with a huge second half from Team USA, they beat Team World. Team USA had a 63 field goal percentage led by Golden State Warriors rookie Eric Paschall. Paschall ended the game 23 points and was 10 for 13 from the field. Team World controlled most of the first half. They ended the first half on a 14-4 run.
The first event on Saturday, Feb. 15 was the Mountain Dew 3-point Contest. It was a good fight between all contestants, but there were only three who clearly showed out the most. The two runner-ups were small forward Deonte Burton and point guard Devin Booker. Burton had 22 points, and Booker had 26 points, but the winner of the 3-point contest from Sacramento Kings is shooting guard Buddy Hield. Hield had 27 out of 40 points.
The next event on that Saturday night was the AT&T Dunk Contest. The last dunk contest that was in Chicago was in 1988. The two finalists in 1988 were Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, and they were known as the two greatest showmen the league had ever seen. Jordan won a controversial finish that night. The same thing happened Saturday between power forwards Derrick Jones Jr. and Aaron Gordan, and Jones Jr. ended up winning by 1 point.
Now the event everybody was waiting for was on Sunday, Feb. 16. The event was the 69th NBA All-Star Game. The game went back and forth the whole time. They separated the points by the quarters -- Team Lebron won the first quarter 53-41 and Team Gianniswon the second quarter 51-30. They both ended up tying the end of the third 41-41. The target score was 157 and it was reached by center Anthony Davis with a clinching free throw. The final score was Team Lebron 157 and Team Giannis 155, and that concluded the All-Star activities.
Winter Recap
By Brandon Roberts March 6, 2020 With the transition of winter to spring sports, athletes are thinking about what their next move is. For underclassmen it’s quite simple: it's either school or another sport, but for our seniors they are onto a new chapter of their life.
This winter season was filled with a lot of success along with injuries and losses. Some teams lost important players due to injuries, which allowed other players to step up and fill that missing spot. This created an intense level of energy being brought to the table.
Basketball is a sport that is talked about widely in the Norwood community, whether that be the boys or girls team. Both teams put up a lot of effort and have been focused on growing and getting better each and every season, whereas the seniors take the leap of faith into the real world. The Norwood girls varsity basketball team went 17 and 6 with a very successful season, despite the loss of senior Lily Peter, who had torn her ACL. While their JV went 8 and 4 showing great potential as future varsity players.
Wrestling has also been a very strong and proud topic in the Norwood community. Norwood High School has plenty of wrestlers fighting for not only themselves but for the pride of their school, bringing home not their first or second but third consecutive MVCA Championship title. Earning this title is very exciting for not only the players but coaching staff as well, showing them they are doing something right.
When Athletic Director Alex Heinz was asked what stood out to him this winter season, he was not hesitant to to say he was very proud of the heart put in from all sports, but the effort of senior wrestler Tyler Harkins, junior basketball players Kevin English and Maria Velazco and senior bowler Brandon Rains continue to catch his eye and push their teams.
Norwood and its community are very proud of the winter sports teams this year, and wishing the spring student athletes a great season.
Sports Highlights
February 17, 2020
The athletes of the week were seniors Lilly Peter and Soren Stout.
Men’s Basketball The boys varsity basketball team will play in a tournament game against Hughes on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 4:00 p.m. and will play against Clinton Massie School for the second round on Feb. 26 at 6:00 p.m. of the tournament if the first round is won. Pre-sale tickets for the game on Feb. 22 will be available in the Athletic Department until noon on Friday, Feb. 21.
Wrestling The boys varsity wrestling team will go against Aiken High School on Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The team hosted the Miami Valley Conference Championship on Feb. 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. They…
Bowling The Men and Women’s Bowling teams went to Colerain Bowl on Wednesday and Thursday for the OHSAA Sectional Meet, and the men’s team had an 8th place overall finish, and sophomore Case Garibay qualified for the OHSAA District Meet. He will bowl at Beaver-Vu next Thursday after a 5th place individual finish. Freshman Kiley Methena bowled her best games of the year, and she qualified for the OHSAA District Meet as well and will bowl at Beaver-Vu Thursday after a 2nd place finish.
What is Coming Up?
Feb. 19: High School Wrestling vs Aiken in the Norwood Wrestling room at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20: Bowling- OHSAA District Meet at Beaver-Vu Lanes at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 20: Women’s Varsity Basketball (#6) vs Clark Montessori (#12) at Fairfield High School at 6:00 p.m. Feb. 22: Men’s Varsity Basketball (#20) vs Hughes (#2) at Princeton High School at 4:00 p.m. March 7: JV and Varsity Cheerleading- Norwood Cheer Competition at Norwood High School at 10:00 a.m. March 9: Spring OHSAA Parent-Athlete Meeting at the Norwood High School Mini-Auditorium at 5:30 p.m. March 10: Winter High School Awards Ceremony at High School Gymnasium at 6:00 p.m. March 11: Winter Middle School Awards Ceremony at High School Gymnasium at 6:00 p.m.
By Brandon Roberts January 31, 2020 It’s winter, and for sports fans this means one thing: basketball. If you’re a basketball fan, you’re probably following this season’s biggest story: Small-Forward Zion WIlliamson.
After Williamson’s tragic knee injury during his NBA summer league debut, there has been a change of thought on whether he would be a bust or live up to the expectations everyone has for him.
Williamson has been a trending topic for basketball since he was attended Spartanburg Day School, which is a small private school K-12 in Spartanburg, S.C. where he played basketball for the Griffins. As a freshman he was averaging an easy 24.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.3 steals a game easily while only playing 20 games.
Williamson decided to take his talents to Duke University. Going into a new environment, Williamson had to step up and show he wasn’t just a highschool all-star, and he has potential and the heart to go further in his career.
With the comparisons of the Los Angeles Lakers’ forward Lebron James, he had a lot to live up to, but he didn’t let that stop him from being the unstoppable monster he naturally is. His first year at Duke he would go on to average 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game. He would soon see he was ready for the league and go one and done, meaning play one year and decide to enter the 2019 NBA draft, where he would be the number one pick in the first round as a small forward for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Although Williamson dominated his way into the league, he would soon face one of the biggest obstacles any athlete could suffer. Williamson suffered from a lateral right tear in his meniscus where would have to have to undergo knee surgery. This is where stuff got hard -- Williamson would sadly miss 6-8 weeks out of his rookie season. There was no way he came this far just to let this stop him from showing everyone how much heart and love he has for the game of basketball.
After missing 44 games out of his regular season, he was known to be nervous and rusty, but he didn’t disappoint. Williamson’s first game back started off pretty rough with only 5 points and 5 turnovers in the first quarter, but he wasn’t going to break down and give up. Although he might’ve only played 18 minutes out of the whole game, he made the time interesting to watch. Williamson went 4-4 on 3 pointers, and scored 17 straight points.
So you tell me -- do you think Williamson is going to live up to the hype, or will he crash and be a bust?
Is Kentucky Missing a Piece ?
By Nallisa Segrist-Bellamah January 30, 2020 Is the University of Kentucky (UK) going downhill because they’ve lost point guard Tyler Herro ?
Herro was a player for the U.K. mens basketball team and was a big help to the team when he played for them. Fans weren't sure how U.K. was going to do when losing him because he was a major player to their team.
Herro was definitely a big help to U.K.. Not only did he lead his team in 3-pointers, but he also was a leader on the team. Herro's scoring average was 14 points per game with a free throw percentage of 93 percent. During Herro's senior year playing basketball, his team won 30 out of 37 games. U.K.'s mens basketball team had a winning season, despite Herro's personal problems.
U.K. this year, without Herro, seems like they are doing the same when they had Herro. So far, they have played 19 games and only lost 4. Altogether the team will play 37 games through the whole season. If U.K. stays on this track, then it will prove that Herro, on or off the team, isn’t making a difference.
Herro is now playing in the NBA with the Miami Heat. Herro has been successful on his new team so far. When Herro went to Miami Heat it was a big step for his career as a basketball player. Herro’s scoring average for Miami Heat is 13.3 points per game. That's only one point less than his scoring average for U.K. last year.
If U.K.'s mens basketball stays at this rate, they will be the same as they were with Herro last year. Could this season be even better without Herro? Time will tell.
Recently in Sports
By Emily Saul January 27, 2019 On Wednesday last week, the girls basketball team beat North College Hill 40-39, and on Saturday the girls played Cincinnati Country Day, but were defeated 60-42. Theyare now 14-4, and third in the Miami Valley Conference. This week the girls have two home games against Wyoming, Monday, and Summit Country Day, Wednesday.
The boys basketball team took on Miami Valley Christian on Tuesday and New Miami on Friday last week. They unfortunately lost both games, and this week they play North College Hill on Tuesday, and Summit Country Day on Friday; both games are home.
On Tuesday, the boys bowling team beat Wyoming 1946-1810, and on Wednesday, the boys were defeated by McNicholas 2178-2018. This week the boys play Reading on Monday, and Clark Montessori on Tuesday.
On Thursday, the swim team hosted their final meet of the season, which was their senior night, and they honored senior Olivia Triance on her final meet at Norwood High School. On Saturday this week, the team will be going to Cincinnati Country Day for the MVC Championships.
National Championship Rundown
By Elijah Partin January 21, 2020 Do you like college football? If so, this was a game to watch. No. 1 LSU and No. 3 Clemson went head to head in a competition to win the National Championship trophy on Jan. 13. It was a high-scoring and action-packed game in the end.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied 7-7. It went back and forth before the first points got put on the scoreboard. Clemson’s scoring drive took two minutes and five seconds in five plays for 67 yards. After that LSU came back with their points. It took four plays for 70 yards.
In the second quarter, Clemson scored a field goal and a touchdown within the first five minutes. These were their only points of the second quarter. Altogether it took 5:09 in 13 plays for 136 yards.
On the other hand, LSU in the second quarter took the lead. There were five minutes and 19 seconds left in the quarter when wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase caught a 14-yard pass from Joe Burrow. After that, they expanded the lead with quarterback Joe Burrow’s six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Thaddeus Moss. This left 10 seconds on the clock.
Clemson’s defense was strong coming out of halftime. They stopped LSU leading to Clemson’s last points of the game. Running Back Travis Etienne had a 3-yard run. Clemson’s drive was six plays for 50 yards in 2:37.
That didn’t slow LSU down -- they ended up with two more touchdowns. In total it took 6:08 in 14 plays for 125 yards. That is almost nine yards a play. That's almost a first down every play. This made the score 42-25.
You can definitely see the difference between the two teams in the stats. LSU won in all categories. Burrow and the Tigers came out successful and with a new trophy.
Student Athlete Study Hall
By Brandon Roberts January 21, 2020 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a student and athlete, along with all the struggles that come with it?
Sports and school can weigh down on an athlete, sports tend to take up the majority of time in a teen’s life.
Athletes have to deal with the struggles of games, school, personal and family life, and still have to make time to study for tests and do homework. Most Norwood teams provide a study table after school for each sport, which allows them to come together and help each other through academic struggles, but is it enough?
Norwood High School does not offer study hall, and there are probably reasons for that. Critics of study hall point out it may just give kids the option to rely on extra time to do things they didn’t have the energy to do at home. On the other hand, there are benefits for students (especially busy ones like school athletes) who take study hall. Having a study hall might give them a bit of stress relief give them the option to improve their test scores and grade averages.
Sophomore Elijah Partin says the hardest thing about juggling sports and school is getting all his work done on time, especially when he gets home at nine (after hours of physical activity) and just wants to go to sleep.
“My grades would definitely improve if a study hall was provided for athletes because then I would be able to make time for studying and test instead of losing sleep,” says Partin. Assistant Athletic Director Emily Jones says while it might be challenging to juggle it all at once, it really just prepares you for adulthood and balancing multiple responsibilities.
Jones is a mother of three athletes, so she understands the struggle they face on a day to day basis. She points out how facing the problem and showing perseverance to get through it can be one of the most important life lessons anyone could catch onto.
So what do you think? Should student athletes have a study hall?
Winter Sports Photo Collage
January 10, 2020
This Winter Sport is Going Swimmingly
Braeden Eynon Long January 6, 2020
As fall sports come to a close, the winter sports take their place. One of these sports is swimming. The swim team competes in individual and team events like relay races, and they are making a splash to kick off the season.
The swimming team meets five days a week for practice and two days a week for meets. They hosted the first home meet last month that was lost by a couple of points. The swimming team has a young group this year with only one senior; however, the middle school team is much bigger. An interview with a swimmer will show the inside view of the swimming team. The meets can be stressful, but if you have your coach nearby, “it helps to relieve your stress.” The swimming can be difficult, but the swimmer says, “once you start learning the tricks it’s easier.” The Norwood varsity swim team has a retiring coach this year, Alex Endsley, who supposedly brings quite some skills. Norwood Schools has six swimming teams: the girls varsity and girls middle school, coed varsity and coed middle school and boys varsity and boys middle school. These teams compete in many meets all the way until February, facing off against anywhere between one to multiple opponents. In their latest meet against Cincinnati Christian High School, they tied 0-0. Their next meet on Jan. 6 will not be against just one opponent but will be a meeting with multiple opponents and will be hosted at Norwood High School. At these meets, the swimmers will swim in groups of eight or so called heats and these are based off of the time of the swimmers. The scoring of the meets is based on the time they have in relation to the other swimmers. The coaches will organize relay races that aren't mandatory, but to quote Brad Arshat from Nova Masters of Swimming, “relays are often the funnest events in a meet… You will never feel more a part of your team than when you swim in a relay.” Swimming sounds like a cooperative but competitive winter sport.
The Girl's Basketball Ballas'
By Daliah Khalil & Destiny Lortos January 2, 2020 The girls basketball team is built from many different characteristics that are shown from each of the players.
"Athletics is more than the sport of basketball, it helps build characteristics," says girls varsity basketball coach Michael Moyers.
The Norwood girls varsity basketball team is currently 8-2. Losing to Summit Country Day and Cincinnati Christian Day were tough, but they have managed to get past that and play harder than ever. While the varsity team is 8-2, the junior varsity team is currently 3-1. The girls this year have improved in many ways within the team; not just individually, but together. The girls have been cooperating more and listening to one another. They communicate out on the court with everyone. Rather than just communicating and listening to a select few players, everyone has been listening to each other as a unified team. This characteristic has shined out on the court during games by passing the ball and being selfless with the ball when taking shots. It’s all recorded through their scores. These scores show how far they have grown and improved together.
Senior Lily Peter says, “I’m thankful for all my teammates and coaches that have pushed me to be the player I am today.” This shows how players work together and motivate one another for the better. Not only are the girls are athletes, they are student athletes, meaning their learning and grades come first. Sometimes having a late game can affect the outcome of their grades, but the players have managed to make time for each task that they are assigned. The girls manage time for not only school, practice, and games, but also work. Many of the girls have jobs to support themselves. These are all responsibilities that make being flexible important. Lastly, sportsmanship is important to the girls. Basketball is a physical sport, so there’s going to be bruises here and there. Whenever the girls knock down one another they help them back up, apologizing or even giving them a high-five. Also, if a player speaks inappropriately to one of the Norwood players, the players ignore them and have their head raised high. The girls basketball team has come together and really has improved many different characteristics including cooperation, flexibility and sportsmanship. Not only does it show better friendships, but better performance on the court.
Basketball Cheer 2019-20
By Emily Betts, Raegan Lewis & Emily Saul January 3, 2020
When you think of cheerleading, you think of girls in uniforms bringing spirit into the school and trying to keep the players determined, even during the bad games.
But a lot more goes into cheerleading than you think. There is more than learning motions and memorizing cheers.
First off, in terms of memorizing cheers, there are over 100 cheers the girls have to learn. Not only that, but they have to learn when to do them. For basketball, in order for their cheers to make sense, they have to completely understand the game. This includes knowing when the team is on offense or defense, understanding the calls the referees make, and knowing the different terms used in the sport.
This sport also comes with struggles. For instance, the team has been struggling for a couple years to get new uniforms, trying to replace their current outdated ones Norwood’s had for somewhere around five years. They’ve tried holding different fundraisers to come up with enough money to purchase new ones, but have been unsuccessful so far.
After speaking with junior and varsity cheerleader Lindsay Evans and getting more information on the behind the scenes of cheer, she says her coach does her best and tries to make cheer a getaway for the girls to forget about their problems, while still putting in work, and with what little they have in the program.
She also states cheer doesn't get enough recognition and there's more besides yelling and jumping around, which is what many people have come to mind when they think of cheer.
Evans also says cheerleading is great and she has fun as much as possible with everyone on the team.
The girls on the team make the best of cheerleading, even on the bad days. They have fun and enjoy their time cheering. They practice very hard and come up with lots of cheers to entertain the crown and get them involved in the game. The cheerleaders very much enjoy the sport and try very hard to show it at games.
Wrestling Team Grappling Success
Source: Twitter
By Grace Mersch January 3, 2020
You’ve heard about the wrestling team. They’re the ones we watched before Thanksgiving Break, right? You’re probably wondering why the administration created a pep rally around wrestling -- what’s so special about it?
The wrestling team is smaller than other schools, but they’re still just as successful. The team is looking for their 3rd MVC championship title this year. And despite having such a small roster, there are many successful wrestlers on the team.
Wrestling is about more than just body slams, too. The small roster makes for a tightly knit team, and they can always trust each other to have their backs.
Sophomore Julien Spivey says, “It feels as if I am a part of something bigger than myself, and that feeling is priceless.”
Spivey prefers wrestling over other sports because of the coaches, who, he says, are able to spend more time and become close with the wrestlers because they are a part of a small team. Spivey says they offer support and practice to a closer degree than a bigger team can.
Spivey says, “There is no better feeling than to know our coaches have our back.”
Although, having such a small roster has its drawbacks. Spivey says the competition against other teams is “tense and exhilarating”. He also says that having the grit and effort to succeed will help them to win against any team.
The wrestling match that students of Norwood High School watched two weeks ago will help bring more awareness to the team, and it’s hopeful that they might gain a couple more players in the next year.
Athletic Director Secretary Emily Jones says, “The growing roster will help them improve before the season.”
Anyone interested in joining the wrestling team next season is encouraged to try out. Joining the wrestling team is beneficial for learning the value of teamwork and overcoming adversity despite being part of something so small -- and these are lifelong.
Bowling Extravaganza
By Brandon Roberts & Nallisa Segrist-Bellamah January 3, 2020 Norwood High School bowling team has a very interesting and bright season ahead of them, and they are looking forward to tons of achievements this season.
Bowling was the first founded organization in America, and was developed with the purpose of keeping the sport organized. The sport itself dates back several centuries. Rolling a ball to knock down various targets has been the object of many games in different countries and continents throughout history. That’s why it’s so interesting that Norwood High School has a bowling team. Bowling isn’t a contact sport, but it builds up lots of competitiveness and emotion when the matches are very close in score.
There are a total of four seniors on the squad that consist of two senior boys from Scarlet Oaks and two senior girls who are still currently in our high school. This being their last year/ season, being a part of the team brings across a lot of emotions and pressure to end their last year good makes the season bitter sweet. The lower classmen for the boys team have some big shoes to fill next year and the coaching staff and fans are all hoping they can step up and achieve greatness.
As we talked to Emily Jones, the Athletic Director Secretary, we got lots of information on how the staff and the fans think the bowling team will do this year. Jones stated that the boys bowling team just broke the all time score on Monday, Dec. 9 with 1,920 points and are very determined to raise the score each and every chance they get.
The coaches for the bowling team are science teacher Theresa Lingardo and history teacher Nathaniel Hale, and they are struggling to get girl players involved in order to form a strong girls bowling team.
The bowling team is on high road of success, but they have to maintain a positive mindset and continue to build each other up -- not only as a team, but as a family.
Norwood Basketball Up and Running
By Elijah Partin December 9, 2019
How do you feel about cheering on your school in a fast-paced game? If that sounds like fun to you, come out to cheer on your Norwood boys varsity basketball team.
The Norwood boys varsity basketball team had their first game on Dec. 3. The game was at Summit Country Day. The game was tied 17-17 at halftime, but the Indians ended up trailing at the end by 13.
Senior Shawn Williams is one of the veterans out on the court. Williams was 4 for 16 from the field. He was also 100 percent from the line. Williams ended the night with 9 points. Even though putting the ball in the hole was a struggle for him, rebounds were not. He ended the game with 8 rebounds.
Senior Dawson Raines is another veteran on the team. Raines went 2 for 7 from the field with 1 3-pointer. He also went 2 for 2 for free throws which made him 100 percent from the line. Raines ended the game with 7 points. Although he didn’t get a lot of points, he still put the work in on the defensive side with 2 steals and 2 rebounds.
Senior Chris Anderson is yet again, a veteran who puts work on the court. Anderson is 1 for 2 from the floor and was 2 for 2 from the line which means he’s 100 percent for free throws. Anderson also had 3 rebounds and ended the game with 4 points.
This is Norwood’s third year in the Miami Valley Conference and they are looking to improve. Last year, they were 4 and 20 and are hoping to turn it around for a winning season this year.
Students in Norwood should come out and support your Norwood boys varsity basketball team.
Inside the Life of Kevin English
By Brandon Roberts December 9, 2019 As a student-athlete, have you ever just wanted to give up and quit, or even just feel it’s one of the most difficult things to go through? Well, looking into junior Kevin English’s life and viewpoint might help with that.
English is a multi-sport athlete who plays football and basketball. English says no matter what sport he is playing or what he is doing, the love for basketball is the only thing that is ever on his mind. However, during his football season, he broke his thumb and had to have surgery which gave him some setbacks on the court.
There has been a mindset change in English since his injury. He says he is constantly mad and wants to get back as soon as possible, but watching the team in practice upsets him because he feels like he can’t do anything for his “brothers”.
Injury is not, however, English’s only challenge. As a student-athlete, he thinks the hardest thing to overcome would be the amount of work he has after practices and how tired he is after a long day of school and constantly pushing his limits in practice.
He says at times he wants to give up, but the love for the game and the school representation is what keeps him going. He sees every teammate as family and he does what he can to help support them and push them to be the very best they can at all times.
English’s advice to injured athletes is: “Don’t give up on the team, and just do what you can to help support and push everyone as if you were the one struggling and would want someone to be there for you to pick you up and keep you going.”
Being a student-athlete can be hard at times, but you have to learn to maintain a strong mindset and time management in order to be the best. Student comes before athlete, so make sure you’re stable on the education side before jumping in.
Moyers Makes an Impact
By Daliah Khalil December 9, 2019
It is the final game of the season. The Norwood girls basketball team is down by 5 points. Coach Michael Moyers calls a timeout, encouraging the girls to hold their heads high and play their heart out for the last couple of minutes. His positivity sparks inspiration, leading the team to their success. The team wins their final fight.
Anyone coached by Moyers has a moment like this they can remember. Moyers helps uplift the girls in times of doubt no matter the situation; although it may seem harsh, he believes the players can do their absolute best.
Each girl has a different perspective of Moyers, but they all agree on one thing: he is highly encouraging and understanding. Just having those simple characteristics can help motivate his players to do better. Even when they make errors, such as missing 6 foul shots, Moyers will not discourage them ever.
Moyers has coached Norwood girls varsity basketball team for the last seven years and plans on coaching for several more years. Not only did he spend his coaching career coaching girls, but he has also coached the boys team for multiple sport seasons.
"Being away from family is one of the hardest parts of coaching," Moyer states. His family means the world to him. Since the season is around the holidays, it is difficult to have to go to practices rather than stay home and spend time with his family. Regardless, Moyers' favorite part of coaching is building bonds with his players.
The bonds he builds do payoff over time. From last year to this year, Moyers says he already sees improvement from certain players. He sees girls getting more comfortable playing certain positions and understanding what to do and when to do them.
Moyers expects a winning season, whilst still wanting the girls to have an enjoyable time playing. With each of the games being played, Moyers sees improvement throughout each player. This allows him to encourage all the players to better themselves and to do move or shots that they normally wouldn't do.
Even though Moyers can be blunt at times, his honesty is true yet encouraging and that's what makes him an amazing coach.
Norwood Tennis Team Making a Racket!
By Braeden Eynon Long September 13, 2019
After interviews with the Athletic Director Alex Heinz and tennis player Olivia Triance we found out some good information on the current and past tennis team.
According to Heinz, the team is doing well this season. The tennis team has many new players this year, many of whom have never played before. To anyone that wants to try tennis but is unsure, Heinz says, “Try it, I had never played tennis before, definitely don't try and avoid playing, just go out there and see what you think.” What’s the worst that could possibly happen from trying tennis?
Heinz hopes to see an increase of players in years to come. He believes they are improving each and every match, especially the girls who have never played.
Tennis Player Olivia Triance believes the most dedicated players are “kind of difficult to find, but some showed up and just wanted to play.” Triance believes that people who are willing to put in the practice and learn the rules of the game are often the most successful.
Triance thinks that team participation plays a big part in the turnout of the season. Working your hardest will always pay off. She in fact joined the team because she wanted to try something new. She is in fact filling the duties of the team captain since she was out for a while, this made, according to Olivia, her push the team to succeed. The team had a game Sept. 11 at 4 p.m., they lost that game. The final score was 0-5. In other news, the team also got new uniforms this season. The team absolutely loves them.
High Hopes for Robbins and the Soccer Team
By Raegan Lewis & Nallisa Segrist-Bellamah September 12, 2019
The Norwood High School girls soccer team has had a very successful season so far.
Currently their record is 4-1-0, which is a huge improvement from last year. At this time last year, the girls soccer team was not nearly as good as this year.
Some of the strongest players on the high school girls soccer team are juniors Nallisa Segrist-Bellamah and Maria Velazco, and seniors Shelly Robbins and Paityn Rudd. These players are hard-workers on and off the field, and they show great sportsmanship.
Senior Shelly Robbins, captain of the team, says she enjoys being the leader of the Norwood High School girls varsity soccer team.
Robbins is also a role model for everyone on the team on and off the field. Coach Maggie Donnellan chose Robbins because of her “Positive demonstration, go-getter work ethic, effective communication with coaches and teammates, leadership skills on the field and in the classroom, coachability and her mental toughness.”
After hearing this from Donnellan, we asked Robbins how she feels about being a leader. Her response was “I honestly feel that there's a difference between practice and game day. Game day requires more focus and responsibility, and that's when it really matters.”
When Robbins was asked how she feels about being captain, her response was, “Yes I do. I feel a lot closer to most people rather than the previous years.”
When asked “What do you plan on achieving this season with your teammates?” Robbins response was “Winning the conference and the tournaments.”
Norwood has high expectations for the women's soccer team and they can't wait to see how much they succeed the rest of the season. The girls have bonded so well and they play great together. They have achieved so much and continue to work as a team. Overall these girls improve every year, and continue to impress people from colleges to different high schools and staff members. We wish these girls luck and hope they keep winning and impressing!
2019/20 Norwood Cheerleading
By Emily Betts September 12, 2019
The Norwood cheerleaders are a big part of Norwood High School. They get everyone at the game hyped up and ready to go! The cheerleaders spend lots of time practicing and learning dances to show everyone a great performance.
The varsity cheer squad includes 14 girls from sophomores to seniors. This year is a big year for the Norwood cheerleaders. The girls were invited to participate in a contest hosted by the Warm 98.5 radio station. Athletic director Alex Heinz says the girls also are hosting their own competition in January. This year they are also going to be performing a new dance for every home football game. The first home game this week, they will be doing a dance to the T.V. show Kim Possible theme song remix. Look forward to that!
All girls on the squad this year are very excited for the season. Behind all the performances, games, halftime cheers, and regular cheers, a lot goes on. The cheerleaders practice five hours a week and put a lot of effort in to cheer their hearts out at games!
This year’s captain and senior Odessa Birch says her favorite part about cheerleading is “The Friday night lights, positivity and making new friends while you get a good workout.”
When Heinz was asked how he thought cheerleading could improve, his response was, “You guys perform outstanding, I really don't have much to say. I received two voicemails from people not around here about the Warm 98 performance about how great our cheerleaders, and our program is.” This is just some of the positivity the cheerleaders have received so far this year.
While the program is improving more and more each week, Birch says, “Each and every day you can improve. There is always room for improvement.”
Coaches Ashton Lanning and Brooklyn Addis are working hard to create a team that works together, hypes up the student section and has lots of fun together! Overall this season for the Norwood cheerleaders will be great and full of excitement. Go Norwood cheerleaders!
Kickoff to the Football Season
By Daliah Khalil September 12, 2019
Down, set, hike! Football season has finally approached, and the football team is getting ready, while the fans are getting ready to cheer.
The football team’s first game was a difficult loss. Their opponents are in a different league than the Miami Valley Conference. Madeira, the team they played, are in the Cincinnati Hills League. The final score of the game was 42-0.
Since the first game the football team played, they played Bishop Fenwick. By this game they had made several improvements from their game against Madeira.
The football team scored two touchdowns. One touchdown was made by sophomore Elijah Partin and the other by senior Collin Hills. Also, junior Aaron Barr was 1-2 for points after touchdown, or PAT. Unfortunately, they were defeated 67-13.
Their next game is Sept. 14 against Woodstock North High School. This team is actually from Illinois. This Friday is also military appreciation night.
Although the football team is having a tough start, the fans are still excited and cheering them on. They are all excited to come and support each of their games.
Norwood fans shouldn’t lose hope. Athletic director Alex Heinz believes that the football team will improve more and more throughout the season.
The team mainly consists of freshmen and sophomores, meaning that they are not used to playing a higher level of football. Hopefully, this will change soon.
“It can be tough as a freshman to play against 18 year olds,” says Heinz. He thinks because the majority of the team are 14 year olds, it can, in fact, be quite difficult to play older, stronger teams.
For many of the players, football is their favorite sport to play. In fact, many of the players participate in other sports, such as baseball, track, and football.
Team captain Michael Wood says, “Football is my passion. It is all going towards my future.” Woods believes if he works hard enough he will be able to play college football. Make sure you attend all home games wearing Norwood gear or matching the theme of the game! Go Indians!
Volleyball Team Serving Success
By Tara Boettcher & Grace Mersch September 12, 2019
Volleyball is one of the most popular sports to watch and play at Norwood High School. Twice a week, dozens of people gather at various high school gymnasiums to watch Norwood High School’s volleyball team.
This season, the girls will play 17 games and several tournaments. On Thurs., Aug. 22, the volleyball team traveled to Cincinnati Christian School. They were losing 0-2 at first, but ended up taking the game with 3-2.
Currently, they are 1-4 in the Miami Valley Conference and 3-7 in the overall season.
The athletic director of Norwood High School, Alex Heinz, expects the girls to have a great season.
For now, they are playing more advanced teams, but they are expected to improve their performance as they play more games. This past Mon., Sept. 9, the girls won 3-0 against Lockland.
Heinz loves watching the team play and says, “They are the most excited to play every time. They are very loud, and at the Summit game they were yelling back at the other team. The girls are always excited to play.”
Junior Reagan Campbell, a well-known player at Norwood, gives her opinion on important qualities to have as a team.
She says, “You have to be quick and willing to push yourself in order to pick up balls and keep them in play.” She explains that the girls are playing better than they have in the past few years.
The girls work hard to try to win every game. Watching them play, it is clear that it takes an insane amount of determination and devotion to play the game.
Currently, the girls are working to get better at bumping the ball to the setter and spiking it over the net.
In the future, the Norwood High School volleyball team expects success. Next week, they play Cincinnati Country Day on Tues., Sept. 17.
Overall, the team is performing very well, and they are very excited to play this year and improve themselves, so they can win more games.