Severely handicapped class arrives - The Lowell

SPORTS
Runners are
successful
By Ptfur Kobn
Although best by internal difficuhici.
the Lowell track team U
completinc • rclatl.ely successful
pre-Mason nod u looking forward to
the All-City Finals on May 17.
Recent triumphs include meets
against local competitors Uncolo,
Balboa, and Mtutoo,as w*U a* a weecu
out of the city in • "octorv over
BCaminoHijh School.
Co«ch Lloyd Wilson noted the
strength of the team when he stated.
"It's been distance (running) nwre
than anything else,"
Even the traditionally strong
dtstancs team, however, is umraally
weak doc to the lou or vsney
distance mnnen seniors Chm
Craem, Dean Poulakidas. and junior
PatMagec.
The sprint team too has endured
tenon love*, taduding senton Mike
£hapii> and Wayne Cokmaa.
There b*s been controversy surroundikg
the loss of these fivr strong
runners. Wibon explained that the
reason the runners left w» primarily
outside activities. WiUon did not
cut the members from the team, but
informed them, "If • penon docsa'l
come to practice, he should drop
track for hi* other activities."
Senior Dean Poubkida* explained
the group's motivation for quitting
tiack. "We quit basically because w«
weren't bring coached properly...the
relations between us (Wibon and the
runners) were not the greatest...he
^"^* turn om some good mi men, but
he doesn't treat his runners with
respect, and h's hard to have respect
for someone who docse't ru\e
respect for you."
" nKnnt r^K-h I tnene Paikcr
cited another difficulty experienced
this season. She thinks the team's
weakness Iks primarily in a lack of
depth in the sprints. She believes that
tome people have ratural ipecd and
others have better endurance*. "Our
problem 1 ." she stated, "is trwt we're
trying tc make sprinter* cr Herman Lee.
A few other players wcte upset
because sume seniors A hi* pla>cd
never anerdeu the practices.
Senior Jadinc Gcc acknowlcdgco.
"It wa\ unfair of those who never
showed up IO practkrs to r-Uy
became they shortened the rest of the
pla)crs' lime."
The faculty members conuued of
Coach Bill Tuiavmopo, Dean Jamc*
Thomas, social science teacher Anthony
DeGcnnaro. substitute teacher
David Kimura. and ba>kelball
coaches Mkhacl Chincn and ln\id
Low.
Seniors Gcc and Marvin Mrtojer
each contributed to the Ktwc wiih
four points apiece.
"Not everything went right, but
cnoufh did to rrokc it a rewarding ex*
pcttcncc. The crowd was very p
pormc and the game brought the
seniors together av a team," reflected
Lai.
Senior Geoff Murxve who won the
opeaing ttp-oiT demanded. "We want
a renutch!"
Fencers take fourth
should have," admitted Haw kin
Woo. :hird suiter for the *iuad. "1
thought at the beginning of the
season we v-ould do wrll. but it juu
didn't turn out that way."
"The team doesn't have enough
dedication from all the members."
stated Cho. *' Everyone of Ui has the
potcctial. though."
However. Eugene Cho feels that
the Lowell learn b one of the best in
the city.
Consudo Tokntino feds the competition
stiffens as the season passes.
"It's because fencing u becomiaj
By Julie Wong
We've worked harder than any
other school," proclaimed right
fielder Tim Lim.
Due to hard work and dedkatinn.
coach Dave tjopczfctU pleased with
the team's performance during the iccond
half of the junior vanity
baseball season.
Although the team is divided between
eight freshmen and eight
sopbomofcs, most of ihc frethmai
have the key positions. For example,
freshman Ed Garcia plays first base.
M l result, the team is buica.ly a
yoang one with most of the members
not having played with each other
before. This unfamiliarity has been
the cause of mental errors committed
by the team, according to Lope*.
Reflecting on the gome against
Washington. Lopez re*soocd. "We
gave up seven runs, so we wcrs right
up there with them (Washington)."
Lowell lost to Washington by a score
of 11-6. If the team had been better
pirparcd mentally and hadn't given
up the seven rum. they would have
won the game by a score of 6-4.
Since most of tl«ir games laM
about tour hours, a tot of physical an!
mental stamina h required of the
young players. Urn commented that
the players grew tired towards the fcd
of the games and tended to become
more relaxed, too.
In addition. Lim noticed that \ince
most of the runt that the oppming
team scored thi* scavon were on
walks and \ieals. the team morale
went down with the fint walk given
up or with the fir\t error committed,
because they uuially caused a chain
^of more walk* and error*.
JV baseball ends season
Sophomore Duvld Lee hurls > knucbleAvIl p^M a Lincoln baiter.
Concurring with Lopez, Lim J*>J.
"We have a pretty strong MA.
We've just guf to'^e pre^rcd F entaUy.
We've got to br alert, take Motrol,
and keep our heads up."
This realization of the rmpor tnce
of preparing for a game mental).', u
well ai physically, has paid ofl.
Lowell IUS defeated MUSKX*.
Galileo. Lincoln and Wilson so far
this scavm.
Lopez attributes the ream's performances
to practice with the pitching
machine amorr; other reasons. He
stated. "We're putting the ball into
play a lot more, and the pitching ii
coming around." He noted the high
level of pitching iTom sophomore
Neil N&kagawa and freshman Derek
Wong, who gives up only two runs
a game on the average. Lopez is particularly
impressed by Wong's
abilities.
The Jock
Does he exist at Lowell?
B> KrndaJIe Cobb
What a « "jock"? Morespediically,
what u a "Lowell jock"? Do they
CUM? Some people think rx*. tvunc
Lowell students "...atctooUiHtoui
io participate in athletics."
What causes this kind of thinking?
In a few movies, the "jock** is a
character looked up >o and admired.
In r it movies, however, he's dumb,
ami ail reasons for playing include
getting a school jacket, being admired
and swooned over, pursuing an
athletic done of hi% childhoxl. and
pleating his father.
In the movis, the "jock" often
looks thin with very slight arm
musclo, is bull-headed, and doesn't
flunk out because of the help of a
smart girl with glasses.
Lowell isn't like the movies, and
because it isn't, some people arc persuaded
into thinking that "Lowell
jocks" aren'r as athletic as the
"jock*" in the movkv
The male athletes at Lowell aren't
all gorgeous with ten girls following
them around at all time. They do just
fine in their hooon, A.P.. and
science classes without the help
(many times) of the Lowell girls,
many of M ben t arc just as athletic (inthe
neit issue).
As far as their reasons for par*
tictpatiflg in soorto, "Lowell jocks"
say, "...for the fun of Us", "...to
tiuke something of their senior
year," and "...because the coach
more popular." explained Totcrttino.
M. Cho added. "Because of this,
more people ire taking private
lessonx "
"All the learns seem untamed —
like street-nghters. Thr^ fence by ex*
penence, ipecd. anj tricks, whtk we
mxcntnle on form and style." said
Won. "Form is actually better, bvt
it dueui't benefit the player unless
he's been on the team three or four
years."
Adait Tench and Eri Puny, a
former Unried Stales Olympic Fencing
Team menber. coach the team.
won't let us quit."
The same people who uy that
Lowell has no male "jocks" alsu say
that Lowell guys study for fun and cnjcy
it. Actually Lowell guys enjoy
their sports, often times, mote than
their studies. Why?
Because as senior Marvin Metoyer
says. "I'm addicted to spcrts." One
freshman even described, his tpon u
a challenge and claims to enjoy
competing.
Many male athletes at Lowell eJjoy
the competition, be it an individual
sport such is tennis or a team
ipnn such as football. Some choose
to be on teams, such as wrestling,
where there is a reeling of elation
when the team wins, but which also
have on individual aspect.
Sophomore Chris Galvia said of
winnbg. "1 like to win. but it'* nor
as tmporunt ai having a good time."
Senior Tbaaasi Pkppu also ceoers
on the sport more than ttic compcti*
tion. Pxppu say* the Importance of
the snort * "...the good discipline
aud the tuct that it helps you
psychological]/ ta everything."
AH athletu must have this
Lopez cotvoued, "We've cm
tiown on mcri*al .errors." He cicJilco
this to more playing time for the
players to get u» know each other and
ut coordinate play better- Lopez also
commented that the players are now
atntcfpaling utuiboas md are communicating
more. He observed that
captain David Lcc has become a
««^r leader fev the team to try*
ing to rally spirit on the diamond.
The team had hoped for a repeal of
h*. Ac*
cording to seniors Man Fukuda tod
Adam Borneleit. wnen the football
and wrestling teams win, they "pv
ty." Members cf the cross country
team kept ttp their sport by rwminf
around during Pizza Night, expressing
their joy of having win in all divi*
sions. by yelling. "Sweep."
Other "jeeks," acrurdiPg to
Metoyer. "...just go home and
study." After sll, they arc Lowell
students.
When the "jacks'* lose, according
to scpohornore Ard*cw Tobon. "We
don't fed horriNe." and Ray adds.
"It keeps you humble.*'
Lowell "jocks" are diflennt from
thsoe in the mevk*. However, like
moM things at LtrvcU, the "L^wdl
jocks" have more spirt, dedicatwa.
and intelligence that most others. In
short, "Lowell jocks" are not only
different, but better.
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