Giant Word

Mr. Derek McDaniel, Ms. Sandy Hall, and Ms Lisa Blacka work at the ticket stand. Tickets for basketball games were $5. Picture taken by Vinny Armpriester

Alex Graves, reporter

“Do you want go to the game tonight?”

“No, I can’t, I don’t have enough money.”

This is a conversation that commonly takes place between students at WHS.  The admission price to school athletic events is five dollars.  So if students want to go to three games a week that is $15 dollars for the week that they have spent on sporting events.  Over the course of a season this could get expensive, especially in this tough economic time.

The ticket price for district games is set by the district, according to Ms. Becki Teerlink, the athletic secretary.  The athletic directors meet and discuss what the price should be and make a decision.  Once this decision on the price is made it becomes a rule for all district schools.

Clearly expenses have to be covered and try to make a profit, but more people would come to more games if the admission price was decreased.  This would draw more students to the games and the students are the one that make the atmosphere of the game better.  Students get rowdy during the game and could have an impact on the outcome of the game.  Having a lot of support during the game can be the extra boost a team needs to win the game.

Senior Johnny Garcia who has played football, basketball, and is currently running track said, “It gets me hyped with the intensity that we have to win for the fans.”

There is also the fact that parents come to games and have to pay.  Over the course of the season that could become very expensive.  Then if they bring any other kids they have, that will cost even more.  The ticket prices should be lowered to bring in more fans and help parents save money but still get to watch their children play.

Ms. Heather Haney, guidance counselor

By Alex Graves

Former Big East Player of the Week turned guidance counselor, Ms. Heather Haney is now in her second year at Waynesboro High School, but before her career as a guidance counselor, she was a NCAA Division I athlete.

Haney played multiple sports before high school, but once she got to ninth grade she decided to focus on soccer.  She attended Hilliard Davidson High School and was selected to the All-Conference team for times.  She also made the All-District team in 2002.  Haney played a lot of club soccer in high school which involved a lot of traveling for her.  She played for the COSA Express and won a state championship in 2001 with her club team.  But all of this traveling and playing gave her a lot of exposure to college coaches and she took advantage of this.  Playing soccer gave her an opportunity to get help paying for college.

“It was a good ticket for me,” Haney said.

She was recruited by different schools to come and play soccer.  She went on official visits to the schools to decide where she wanted to go.

“They paid for my trip and I stayed overnight,” added Haney.

She picked Indiana University, but transferred to the University of Cincinnati her sophomore year.

“I transferred for more help financially,” said Haney.

While she was at Cincinnati, soccer was a very big part of her life.  The team had curfews and had to have a certain grade point average to be able to play.  There were also offseason workouts and meetings.

“The coach had control of my life,” Haney said.  “I had more rules in college than in high school.”

The team also had a fitness test that the players had to complete.

“If we didn’t finish the test then we would have to have 5 am practices until we could finish it,” said Haney.

“We were an average team, but the Big East is a hard conference,” says Haney.

Haney started out wanting to be a teacher, but when she transferred to Cincinnati some of her credits didn’t transfer so she decided to try something new.  She did an internship at an alcohol, drugs, and rehab center and she liked it.  She still wanted to work in the school so she decided to be a guidance counselor.  Haney used her soccer skills to get to college and pursue her academic career.

by Aysha Adrees, Editor-in-Chief

Role model. Leader. Captain. Student-Athlete of the Year. Kari Washburn can be identified as all of these names.

Washburn, a senior at Waynesboro High School and captain of the girls varsity soccer team, was inspired by her former math teacher, Mr. Glenn Anderson.

“He always bugged me about quitting gymnastics and playing soccer for him,” says Washburn, “So, when I stopped gymnastics, I decided to try out for the team in eighth grade.”

While she no longer does gymnastics, the skills Washburn gained from it helped her become a very successful diver, even though neither compare to soccer.

“It’s very different from gymnastics and diving because it’s a team sport. They are both technique sports and soccer is not,” Washburn said. “Also, you aren’t being judged and getting scored on your performance. Gymnastics and diving are a lot higher pressured.”

When asked what her favorite thing about soccer was, Washburn didn’t hesitate to say it was her team.

“When we make good plays and work well together, the energy on the field is amazing,” said Washburn.

Not only is she a the leader of the defense, but many of the younger players on the team often look to her for guidance, both on and off the field. Sophomore Laney Janes says that Washburn is a “good example on how to treat teammates,” because of her positive attitude, how hard-working she is, and the respect she shows toward everyone.

Once Washburn graduates, she plans on attending The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she will major in either athletic training or occupational therapy.

By Alex Graves, reporter

This year’s ACC Tournament was a great one.  Upsets and last second shots created a very exciting tournament.

The first round went as expected.  The higher seeded teams were winning their games.  In the second round there was an upset when N.C. State beat Virginia.  Virginia was down but came back in the second half.  Virginia was down three with less than 20 seconds left, but Joe Harris missed a deep three and N.C. State prevailed.

The bottom half of the bracket played out like it was supposed to with Duke and Florida State playing in the semifinals.  North Carolina and N.C State were matched up in the other semifinal.  One of North Carolina’s star players, John Henson, injured his wrist and would not play the rest of the tournament.

The semifinal games were full of excitement and intensity.  Florida State and Duke was a back and forth game.  Florida State and already beaten Duke earlier in the season on a last second shot in Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.  It came down to the wire again in the tournament.  Florida State was up by three, but Duke’s Seth Curry stole the ball at half court and shot it at the buzzer.  The ball hit the back of the rim and rolled off.  FSU held on for a three-point victory.

The N.C. State and UNC game also came down to the last second.  It was a back and forth game that had some controversial calls (or no calls to be exact).  The game was tied and UNC had the ball with under seconds left.  Kendall Marshall, the UNC point guard, drove down the lane and created what looked like either a charge or block situation.  The referee made no call and Marshall made the bank shot to put UNC up by two.

N.C. State then had the ball with 1.2 seconds left.  They threw a long pass and N.C. State and the N.C. Sate player looked like he got fouled, but no foul was called and UNC advanced to the championship with a two-point victory.

The championship game was set:  UNC vs. FSU.  FSU had already beaten UNC in the regular season by 33 points.  North Carolina was also playing the championship without John Henson.  This was a big hole for the Tar Heels to fill.  Florida State went into the half up by nine, but UNC made a run in the second half to make things interesting.  UNC hit some big shots down the stretch, but could not come out with a win.  Florida State won the ACC Tournament for the first time since joining the ACC in 1992.  Their coach, Leonard Hamilton, was also coach of the year for the ACC.

The bleachers of the football field must be replaced or football will no longer have any home games. (photo by Chelsea Truxell)

By Chelsea Truxell, Reporter

Problems are easy to see in Waynesboro athletic facilities it would be nice to have the money to fix all of them but here are the main five.

• Locker Room:  “The biggest problem is the football locker rooms,” Coach C Jay Dewitt said about improvements that need to be made to the school athletic facilities.  The football locker room doesn’t even come close to fitting the needs for a team of 70 players.

There are 75 lockers altogether; 16 are half lockers.  Fitting a player’s cleats, shoulder pads, knee pads, butt pads, thigh pads, practice pants, and helmet is almost impossible in the half lockers.

• Gym Floors:  Gym floors are another huge issue at Waynesboro High.

“They’re slippery.  Mostly they need to be re-painted or just re-done all together,” said sophomore basketball player Keishla Garcia.

Before, during, and after school many activities are going on in the big gym.   The floors are only done twice a year.

“They are terrible.  They are way too slick. Someone needs to step up and re-do them,” Sidney “Pops” Diggs, assistant coach of the boy’s varsity basketball team.

• Bleachers:  The same bleachers have been there over 30 years “We can’t have football games unless we get new bleachers.” Said football coach and athletic director Coach Derek McDaniel.

The school’s insurance company will not allow a crowd on the bleachers due to people getting hurt while watching Waynesboro football on the bleachers.

• “If we had a field house anyone could use it. We could have more space and the locker rooms wouldn’t be so crowded,” Said McDaniel.  The field house would cost around $900,000. McDaniel said all sports could use it and the space would be a tremendous to addition to the school.  “We’re running out of space and having to crowd the school with equipment and other materials,” said Coach Dewitt.

• Softball Lights:  Softball fields need lights.   McDaniel says, “We would like to add them but the possibility is something I couldn’t even tell you.”  The softball team has to cut practice early and games because of darkness.  The baseball team plays on a field with lights. Most competitors in softball have lights.  To help raise money for lights to the field WHS could host a tournament with teams from other districts and make them pay to get in, according to McDaniel.

It all adds up to a lot of needs, the longer we go without addressing these needs the farther behind the athletes will fall.

Ms. Sandy Hall and Ms. Lisa Blacka talk to Mr. Derek McDaniel about the ticket sales. (Photo by Vinny Armpriester)

By Alex Graves, Reporter

Touchdown!  The crowd goes crazy in the stands (even if they are broken down).  Most of the spectators have to pay to get into the game.  They also go to the concession stand to get food and drinks.  You would think that the school’s athletics would be making a large amount of money, but then there is never enough money to buy things for the sports teams.  So where does the money from athletic events go?

                According to athletic director and head football coach Mr. Derek McDaniel, the ticket sales go into a general athletic fund, but are labeled according to the sport from which the ticket sales came.  If it was a football game then it would go into the fund labeled “Football.”

                Ticket sales make a profit, McDaniel said.  The worst ticket number for this football season was $4,500 said McDaniel.  That is still a lot of money that is being brought in by the team.

                The concessions have a separate fund.  The concession stand is worked by different clubs such as the Beta Club, Key Club, and other sports teams.  These groups are paid out of the concession fund McDaniel said.  The concession stand makes some money but not as much as people would expect.

                The money is divided between the athletic teams based on need.  Football is a very expensive sport.  McDaniel said that it takes around $700 to suit up one player to play a football game.  The cost to pay people to work the football games, including ticket takers, the police, announcer, etc is around $450.  There is also a cost for the paint for the field.

                “People are misled at the cost of running events and cost of teams.  The cost of the teams themselves is astonishing,” said McDaniel.

                The school also has to pay the VHSL a third of what they make.  Not all sports can stand alone because they don’t bring in enough money.  Football and basketball are the sports that bring in the most money.  Some sports like swimming and cross country don’t even charge admission.  So these sports don’t bring in money for the general athletic fund.

                There is also the idea of making kids pay to play.  This is when student athletes would have to pay a fee to play high school sports.  “I would rather go out and raise money than make a kid pay to play.  I can’t imagine charging a kid to play a game,” said McDaniel.

                Athletics are getting more expensive and the school will have to find a way to pay for it.  Hopefully, the school will find some way to pay for the bleachers or there will be no home football games which will greatly impact the school’s athletic money.    

By: Reporters Seth Jones and JoJo Collins   

This year’s NFL season has been very controversial. Many people think different teams will win the Super Bowl or go to the playoffs. We chose these picks through statistical analysis of previous performances in the season.

In the first round of the NFC playoffs the Dallas Cowboys will lose to the Detroit Lions. The Lions’ offense has been phenomenal this season. With the help of their quarterback, Matt Stafford, the Lions started the season by winning five games.

The New Orleans Saints will defeat the Atlanta Falcons. The Saints are ranked first for overall passing yards. Their quarterback, Drew Brees, has passed for 4,031 yards.

At the start of the second round of the NFC playoffs the Detroit Lions will lose to the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are ranked third in passing yards and remain undefeated.

When the San Francisco 49ers take on the New Orleans Saints, they will win due to their excellent defense. The 49ers have best defense in the NFL against rushing.

The Packers will then defeat the 49ers in a close game. The advantage is with the Packers because their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, has over 3,000 passing yards. The Packers’ passing strategy will overcome the 49ers’ defense.

The first round of the AFC playoffs will be the Houston Texans versus the New York Jets. The Jets will win in a very close game because the Texans won’t have their starting quarterback, Matt Schaub, or their starting running back, Arian Foster.

The Denver Broncos will defeat the Pittsburg Steelers. The Steelers will not be at 100 percent due to recent recovery from injuries. The Broncos are also ranked number one in rushing and their quarterback, Tim Tebow, has been on a hot streak.

The New York Jets will lose to the New England Patriots. The Patriots have already beaten the Jets in blowout games two times this season. The Jets’ defense has improved since those games, but they will be no match for the Patriots’ offense.

The Baltimore Ravens will play the Denver Broncos. The Ravens’ defense will shutdown Tim Tebow and his running game. Statistics show that the Ravens will beat the Broncos fairly easily.

In the AFC Championship game the Patriots will beat the Ravens in a very close game. The Patriots’ offense is one of the best in the league and the Ravens’ defense is one of the best, too. The Patriots will find a way to beat the Ravens’ defense and win the game.

The Super Bowl is the most important football game of the year. It decides after a long season which team is truly the best. This game will include the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots. This will be a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI when the Packers beat the Patriots 35-21.

The Packers will win Super Bowl XLVI in an extremely tight game. The Packers and the Patriots offenses have proved to be excellent. Both teams’ defenses have not been great this season. The Packers’ quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, will help the team score enough points so defensive skills won’t matter.

Do you think this is accurate? Leave your comment here at Giantword.com.

NFC

Cowboys                             Lions

Lions                                      Packers                               Packers

Packers                                                                                                               Packers

Saints                                    Saints                                    49ers

Falcons                                 49ers

Packers                                                                                                                                                                           Packers

AFC

Texans                                  Jets

Jets                                        Patriots                                  Patriots

Patriots                                                                                                                 Patriots

Broncos                                Broncos                                Ravens

Steelers                                               Ravens

By Elizabeth Eutsler, reporter

The step team practices.

Students, teachers, and parents will soon be seeing the Step Team around the school and during half time at the basketball games.

This year sophomore Ryann Bellamy had the idea to start a new team, a Step Team. Step is a type of dance that involves clapping, stomping, and making noise with the body to make a beat with a group of people.  Mrs. Iris Carter is the sponsor for the Step Team.

Waynesboro High School was represented by a Step Team before. After two years of inactivity the new Step Team is trying to rebuild.

“We want to eventually get into competitions,” said Ms. Jamie Gunn, head coach.

“They are in a rebuilding year,” said Carter.

Step team practice happens every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3:15 to 4:30. Before each practice the team is required to do warm-ups. They work their hips from the cafeteria to the stairs beside the auditorium up to the third floor then back down again. Students and teachers hear the sound of the Step Team all around the school. Then they go straight into practice.

“They are going to be a drill team by the time I get done with them,” said Gunn.

The team has been practicing for four weeks.

At practices the team goes over steps many times to make sure that they are perfect. They rehearse for an hour and 15 minutes working on steps so that they can be ready for games and other events.  The Step Team members learn the steps quickly and then perfect them.

“It is a struggle,” said Bellamy, “learning all the fast steps and having to learn them in a certain amount of time.”

“It’s difficult to learn the claps,” said senior Cassie Laplante, another team member. “It’s fun because you can express yourself.”

Fifteen students are on the Step Team including high school students and middle school students. The middle school students ride the bus from Kate Collins to Waynesboro High School. Each member watches and tries to pick up on the new steps they are taught or they try to make the steps they have already learned better.

The name of the team is the “H.E.A.T.”

“The Heat stands for Hot, Educated, with Attitude, Talented team,” said Bellamy.

Bellamy said, “We’re here and ready to show our haters how the Heat does it!”

By Seth Jones, Reporter

Junior Ben Hackley, a JV baseball player last year, throws a pitch. Spring athletes, like Hackley, face fewer eligibility challenges than winter athletes, who must have appropriate grades in both spring and fall to make and stay on the team. Photo by Seth Jones.

Waynesboro High School is in the Virginia High School League (VHSL). Waynesboro follows all of their requirements including the rules for sports eligibility.

There are many eligibility rules.  For example, athletes must be enrolled in the school, students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average and pass three classes a semester before their sport starts, and athletes must pass a VHSL physical.

“I don’t think they need to be changed,” said junior Cole Tsakis, who has played varsity baseball for two years.

Some of these rules keep students who want to participate in a sport from being able to. Students born with serious medical conditions and students failing their classes may not participate in VHSL sports.

“I can’t play some sports, because I have a pacemaker,” said junior Jeremy Shipman.

Shipman’s doctor won’t let him play school sports, because of the risk of him getting hit. Shipman is currently active in playing recreational soccer.

“I think I could play school soccer, but my doctor won’t let me,” said Shipman.

Freshman cross country runner Seth Wood thought the ineligible kids deserved at least a chance to play, and should be judged according to ability.

However, students that are not eligible can’t play school sports regardless of the rule they don’t follow. No matter how small the rule they break students may not even try out for a team.

Athletes must pass three of their classes the semester before their sport. Many athletes may not play sports due to their grades.

Coaches lose valuable athletes because their grades aren’t good enough. Basketball is a good example.

“One of our players may not be able to play because he’s only passing two classes,” said senior varsity basketball player Desean Dillard.

It is a winter sport so players’ previous spring grades decide whether they are able to play at the beginning of the season, but their fall grades are the deciding factor later in the season.

“I’ve had players not be able to start the season because of their grades, but they could finish the season because their grades improved,” said Coach C Jay Dewitt, the boys’ varsity basketball coach.

Dewitt thinks players who don’t start the season with the team shouldn’t be able to finish it.

This circumstance has a positive and a negative effect. On the plus side it encourages kids to keep their grades up so they can play. On the other hand coaches may lose valuable players in the middle of the season.

Rules are always changing, but the question stays the same. Are you eligible?

“They only hire the referees that know how to throw the flags!” said Jennifer Johnson, sophomore. According to some fans Waynesboro High School has seemed to have some bad luck with refs the past few years.

                According to a spectator there were two calls made on Draft  on September, 9, and the rest were on Waynesboro. At the Rockbridge game there were no calls made on Rockbridge; all were on Waynesboro, said the spectator. Now why is this? No one is really sure but the fans, coach, and players have something to say about all of this.

                Some of the Little Giants get very upset with the referees.

                Gemini Brown, senior and football player, said “ My nieces could ref better than they can! Last year at one of the home games a guy got on top on Kiki Radic and started hitting him, and Kiki got flagged for it. Also they called a flag on number 52 Landon Clarke and he wasn’t even on the field.”

                Coach McDaniel finds more balance in the calls of referees.

                “I’m good friends with just about all the officials. After coaching for 30 years, you get to know them,” McDaniel said. “They (refs) are like coaches: there are some that are great, there are some that are alright, and there are some that shouldn’t be coaching at all.”

                McDaniel said in the end the refs are there to do a job.

                Every year Waynesboro High School contracts with the Piedmont Valley Football Association. This Association chooses the refs that are going to be at the football games. If there is a problem with any of the refs the school can request to not have that ref back.

                “ We have only had to do that once in the 22 years that I have been here,” said Ms. Becki Teerlink, athletic office secretary.

                Referee Bruce Payne said that “anytime an official makes a call they’re only going to be 50 percent correct.”

                Payne is a very dedicated red from playing football, to coaching it, to reffing it.

                It takes a six-man team to ref one game, Payne said. Referees have to know what rules would go with which plays and how to call something that is wrong.

                One of the biggest complaints that refs make would be that the fans do not know all the rules that the officials do.

                “It is not the same as college or pro ball. There’s a different thing. It’s not going to happen like it does on TV,” Payne said.

                When fans, players, and coaches get upset, Payne says he tries to block out what the fans are saying because they are going to be upset and when the coaches are mad he tries to explain what happened.

                 In the end football is competitive game. It all depends on how you look at it, and what team you are cheering for.