Interview with Coach Howard by Lucille Block
Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and your position at JTM? When is your favorite time to run and is that your favorite sport?
Her position is in student support which helps students emotionally. She's worked with kids to educate emotionally. She is an advocate for students, and she speaks up for people who need help communicating. She protects more people who need help, basically a guardian angel who watches over students. She helps kids who don’t have enough support; she is their support. When she grew up she always volunteered; she always liked helping. She loves tracks, but she started with gymnastics and b-ball. She had to give up gymnastics because she was too tall. In middle school she was ranked in the nation. She went to UNC at Chapel Hill, and she then moved to Atlanta to train for the Olympics in 1996. She was a sprinter. She however made 7th and didn’t make the team. She has spoken all over the world about having confidence.
She likes to run the best in the summer, because she had to run in the freezing cold as a kid.
I have heard that you were in the Olympics. What sport did you do and when? Could you describe that experience?
Most people don’t understand the pressure of training for the Olympics in the U.S. When training for the Olympics it is hard, and you must stay healthy. Making the team is hard, track and field helps stamina, it teaches you to keep trying.
What did you learn from competing in the Olympics? Did you meet any friends?
Athletes became a community because it was them who were the same and schedules were packed. You spent most of your time with teammates, and they are your friends.
When she was in middle school her and her friend raced, but she tried to prevent racing together. They eventually had to race, and she won, ruining their relationship because she was jealous. You can still be friends on and off the field.
When did you start running?
Her first real race was in kindergarten. On field day she was racing her best friend, and her friend skipped the monkey bars and she won. When she first realized she was fast was in middle school. She raced a boy who said she wasn’t fast enough. But, halfway through the race she was so fast he quit. In college she was running, and a photographer told her to be a model. So, after college she modeled worldwide and got campaigns with famous people. She had a billboard in times square!
As the JTM track and field coach, what advice do you have to athletes who want to participate in this sport?
Do your best, don't doubt yourself and work hard. Sometimes being afraid means you care, but you are always good, and you can learn from trying.
I’ve heard a lot about success. Could you tell me about a failure?
A failure she has had was in 1997. She was jumping at a track meet. When she landed, she felt a pop. She had ended up tearing her Achilles. It didn’t end her career but put it on hold. This led to her working with a very famous coach. She uses things from that coach to coach her athletes today.
JTM 2019 VOLLEYBALL
by Carli Elliott
Volleyball seemed very exciting last year! The JTM volleyball team were city champions last year, and it is sad that we can’t play this year. But we must think about the actual volleyball players that played last season! Here are some of the volleyball players' opinions on all of this!
These are the answers to my questions from volleyball play Campbell Paulley.
What inspired you to play volleyball?
My older sister played volleyball and we always practiced with her and I just really liked it.
What position do you play?
Last year I play back row and outside.
What is your opinion on not playing the season this year?
I’m really sad we didn’t get to have a season!
How did you feel being city champions last year?
It felt good and I wish we could have had a chance this year too!
Do you have any tips or advice for new players?
I would say just try your best and try to have fun!
CITY CHAMPS!
These are the answers from volleyball player Abby Elliott.
What inspired you to play volleyball?
Coach K inspired me.
What position do you play?
Setter
What is your opinion on not playing the season this year?
I’m sad about the volleyball season.
How did you feel being city champions last year?
I felt great about being city champions.
Do you have any tips or advice for new players?
Be humble and try to get along with Coach K.
This is the review from volleyball play Kayla Paulley.
What inspired you to play volleyball?
I never wanted to play volleyball, but my mom said it would be good for me.
What position do you play?
I’m a setter.
What is your opinion on not playing the season this year?
I’m sad about it because it’s our last year, and I loved playing with all my friends.
How did you feel being city champions last year?
I was happy and proud of us.
Do you have any tips or advice for new players?
Never give up and try your hardest.
Sports Overview
by Drew Hull
Hello, and welcome to the first issue of the sports page of the Matador news team! Can’t wait to work on the sports section this (wild) school year. Some important events in the sports world have gone down in the last couple of months, and I’m excited to share!
One of the most important of these events was the delaying of the 2020 summer Olympics. These Olympics were planned to be in Tokyo, Japan, but after the Covid-19 pandemic the Olympics were delayed until the Summer of 2021.
WHAT TO WATCH: The 2021 Olympics will have baseball and softball in the mix for the first time since 2007. It is expected that pro baseball players will not play in the Olympic games, but for the U.S softball team there will be a 15-man roster of pro softball players. This roster is mainly headlined by pros Monica Abbott and Cat Osterman, and they are the heavy favorites. The basketball Olympic winners will no longer be given gold medals in the 2021 Olympics.
The link to learn more about the Olympics is here: https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2020/07/23/tokyo-olympics-preview/
More in the sports world consists of the 2019-2020 NBA/WNBA champions. The champions for the NBA were the Los Angeles Lakers. This team consists of LeBron James and Anthony Davis (Two Most Valuable Player in the NBA candidates.) The Championship was played in Orlando, Florida, and so were the final 8 games of the NBA season and the 3 playoff rounds prior. The Lakers beat the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler in 6 out of the allotted 7 games to win to the Finals. The NBA is expected to begin the 2020-2021 season in December of 2020 (December 22). As for the WNBA the Seattle Storm reigned victorious for the 2019-2020 season beating the Las Vegas Aces and completing a 3 game sweep against the Aces in an best-of-5 series played in an COVID-19 bubble in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 3 games were complete blowout wins for Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird and the rest of the Seattle Storm.
And lastly, the MLB baseball season concluded in late October finishing up a 60 game season. In a non- Covid season the MLB would play 162 games. The season ended in an Los Angeles Dodgers championship win against the Tampa Rays in 6 out of the allotted 7 games to win the series. Game 6 seemed to be all Rays before a questionable decision by the Rays (taking out their best pitcher who was throwing an AMAZING game). The Dodgers went on to win in the playoff bubble the MLB set up for the 16 teams competing for the world series title.
WHAT TO WATCH: MLB free agency!
Link to an MLB free agency article here! https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2907005-mlb-free-agents-2020-list-of-top-players-this-offseason-after-trade-deadline