by Norah Johnson/Guest Writer

Photo Caption: Girls swimmers going to state- Selah Vahle, 9, Alyssa Osborn, 10, Norah Johnson, 12, Cece Duffy Johnson, 11, Mary Ellen Stratman, 12, Rachel Stutz, 10, Reagan Crouch, 12.

Day in the life of a swimmer:

I wake up at 5:45

Breakfast is a fast granola bar

Morning practice is at 6:30-7:50

Showering at school with only three showers and another fast breakfast before school. We have yogurt, make bagels, or heat up breakfast sandwiches from our “breakfast room” in the pool area. 

8:30-3:25—-School day—-with snacks, most swimmers eat snacks during their classes

Snacks after school are usually a granola bar, apple, or a banana 

Afternoon practice starts at 3:45-6

Go home for dinner and homework

Read/watch tv during any free time before bed

I try to be asleep by 9:45 for a solid 8 hours before I repeat it all again the next day.

How we feel about that:

We all know that it is an intense and rigorous training schedule, but we all understand why it has to be that way. Swimming is such a unique sport as to where the movements that we perform in the water cannot be directly translated by movements outside of the water. I feel that this schedule has taught me outstanding time management, as well as understanding what I need to prioritize throughout my day. After a pretty intense practice, the last thing I want to put more energy towards is calculus homework, so I know that if I have free-time during the school day, I should get that finished so I don’t have to do it later that evening. From an outsider’s perspective, I could see how 9 practices a week could seem intimidating, or maybe even crazy. And I will admit, it is not for just anyone. The swimmers on the team are some of the most mentally tough teenagers I have ever been around. We train almost 20 hours a week in an attempt to better our personal best time by only 1 or 2 seconds. That can be mentally draining. Overall, I feel that it has provided me with structure and it has taught me so much about myself. The practices themselves are, as Mark and Emily Logan put it, “fun and challenging.” They constantly monitor and adjust our workouts based on how we are responding to training at that time. I am very thankful that they can appreciate the science and quality of swimming, rather than focus on the amount of distance we can swim in a day. 

Why we do it and what keeps us motivated:

I swim because I love the sport. I love the challenge and the feeling of pushing myself not only physically, but mentally. The sport is not easy, and it is not for everyone. It causes you to challenge yourself everyday. These challenges are difficult, and some days you want to give up, but after you complete them, the reward is so great. Each day you have the opportunity to earn your reward. In the past four years, I have learned that it can be so easy to get caught up in the end goal, such as sectionals, state, or even a goal time. But in reality, in order to reach the end goal, you have to focus on the everyday goals. Such as winning every practice, focusing on technique, creating any goal for yourself that you can reach at practice. It has made my journey of swimming more beneficial mentally, and I believe it has altered my personal definition of winning. Beyond training physically and mentally, I get to do it with my best friends. We are the only ones who understand what this type of training is like. It becomes relatable for us. Not many teenagers spend 6 out of 7 of their days waking up before 6 o’clock. We are with each other so much and we have a positive shared goal that keeps us united together. We uplift each other everyday. The team does not improve if not everyone is working hard. Lane one pushes lane two, lane two pushes lane three, lane three pushes lane four, and so on. Without each other to race at practice and make each other better, we would likely not see our high successes. We are all highly determined individuals that come together to unite as a team that wants the same thing. We crave the intensity, the competition, the race. We love it. 

by Trot Scholl/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Seniors Adam Saxon and Zeke Holden are in beginning match form. Photo by Trot Scholl.

Wrestling season is here for GCHS. The wrestlers have been working very hard and are ready to show out this season. Senior Zeke Holden says, “We’ve put in a lot of work this off season and it will be fun to watch it pay off.” Senior Adam Saxon says, “I’m excited to see where senior year will take me. I’ve learned this sport for three years and I feel like I can do something if I work hard for it.

    Holden and Saxon both have goals they would like to accomplish this upcoming wrestling season. Holden states, “My goal this year is to be a state placer, I have worked really hard these past few years and have been short every year but this year my goal will be achieved.” Saxon says, “I want to win my matches, it’s a basic goal but I haven’t won many matches and I want to win most of mine this year.” Having a goal for wrestling and any sport in general is a good thing. It can help you get better and do better and you can get more enjoyment out of sport and the season by reaching those goals.

To reach your goals, you must stay focused the whole time and don’t get caught off guard. Holden states, “I am gonna keep my head on straight and be disciplined and really just stay on track and it will happen.” Saxon says “I think it’s important to pay attention to minor details and make sure you are doing everything right and put those things you learned into the matches.”

    Going into any wrestling season, your view changes every year on it. Holden says, “This is the last ride, you have to make everything count this season.” Saxon states, “The perspective has changed, this is our last year to show what you can really do if you put the work in.” Having a different view on the season could help you and give you more motivation to do better.

      To prepare for the upcoming season, wrestlers will all prepare differently for the upcoming season, but still all prepare. Holden says, “I go to a wrestling academy and train with the best coaches and the best kids in the state.” Saxon states, “I have already started watching weight so I don’t have to cut during the season, and I have started lifting and working out.” 

        Now a few weeks into the wrestling season, our wrestling team is looking good. Seniors Holden and Saxon were interviewed before the start of the season. Let’s see how their answers have changed or stayed the same from last time.

    Each senior was asked about their perspective going into the wrestling season, now into the wrestling season, has their perspective changed at all or a good amount?    Holden said, “It hasn’t really changed much, as far as I know it’s my last ride so I’m running head first at the competition.”

Saxon stated, “My perspective has stayed the same, I’m still trying to win as many matches as I can and putting everything out there.” Their perspectives haven’t changed on the season, but they have both been making great improvements and living up to their goals they made at the beginning of the season.

    Both seniors were asked last time about their work in the off-season and if it will pay off. Has their work paid off for them so far this season? Adam Saxon said, “I think the off-season has helped me, I’m not as tired and I feel like I can work on technique more than endurance.” Zeke Holden stated, “So far I haven’t been thoroughly challenged in any of my matches, but my training has definitely paid off.” Their work they have put in and out of practice has been helping them a lot and paid off for them now.

    Both seniors got asked how a few matches went, how they think not just themselves, but their team has done so far. Holden stated, “It’s been a little shaky, but the last two matches we have had, I feel like our team is really starting to come together as a family. We are there for each other every match.” Saxon said, “Personally I think I could be doing better this season, I’ve been putting in the work but I’m getting beaten in matches I should be winning. On the other hand, I think the team is doing really good right now. I feel like we have a very special group of people who can make it far this year.”

    Each senior got asked about what they see differently in this team we have this year. Holden said, “Our team is definitely different from last years, I think that our team is a group of young men and women that understand how you present yourself outside of wrestling matters, we have had little to no problems with behavior outside of wrestling.” Saxon stated, “The team is a family, we all chant for each other during every match, it doesn’t matter the outcome.” This wrestling team is viewed differently by wrestlers as a better behaved team and a family that supports each other.

    Only a few matches into the season and we can safely say this team is something special. We have a strong group of seniors leading the team and a team to make GCHS proud this year.

By Della Hedge/staff writer

Photo Caption: The girls basketball team at early morning practice, getting ready for winter ball 2022 season. 

“We had a really really good spring and a great summer,” girls basketball head coach Mr. Bradley Key commented on the upcoming season. He is very excited for the three seniors this year; he’s looking forward to seeing them lead their team as the winter approaches. 

    Mr. Key has many goals for his team and players. “I think the goal, the longer I have been doing it, is to produce better basketball players. Even better than the week before,” he said. He wants wins but more importantly he wants them to grow and a team, and this year with more experience he thinks they can get those wins and produce better basketball players along the way. “You always hope they are ready,” Key said.

He thinks they have gotten better but the team is never really ready until you play.  “We are down to 5 weeks until game time,” Key said. He is excited; he’s ready for the girls to take the court. He said that the girls are in a totally different place, they have worked and worked to get to this point. He is ready for game time and is striving for success for the girls this year. 

     Key talked about his new coaches, and he speaks very highly of them. “It’s been great having two new coaches. Megan Dawson has been with me for 8 years now.”

Kynsey Hasty, sophomore and second year team member, said of Dawson, “She has helped me improve my personal game, she is always there giving me feedback and helping me push through hard days.” Key also hired two new coaches, including Megan Henderson. “She was super good at basketball and the girls love her.” Henderson is from Alexandria, which is where Mr. Key went to high school. Also Coach Maggie Walters was his JV coach at New Castle, and the girls get along really well with her as well. 

    “I just hope we play a good version of basketball,” Key said. His aim is to prepare his girls as best he can mentally and physically. 

    “My first year of high school basketball was an eye-opening  experience,” Chaney Brown, sophomore and second year varsity member, said.

As a freshman starter she had so much pressure on her to perform well, but this year for her is different. “This year we are finally playing good basketball, we are doing things we should’ve done last year,” Brown said. Brown had very big goals like to beat New Pal and make it through the first round of sectionals. She also had personal goals like average more this year and step up and be a leader. 

    The girls will be ready to take the court this winter with the help of their coaches’ leadership. They are all very excited and ready to show everyone just who the Lady Cougars are. 

by Dylan Ramirez/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Sydnie Wherry, 12, finishes up a hole at the county meet on August 30. The girls placed third at this event.

 The girls golf team is one of the most successful sports for Greenfield Central with many accomplishments. With this year speeding up, the girls golf coach and two of their most valuable players answered some questions. So far the team is 1-1-1. Russell Wiley, the golf coach, is a teacher who has been teaching for 15 years at Greenfield Central. He has also coached the girls golf team for 11 years and the boys golf team for 7. “Learning the importance of hard work, building skills, work ethic, and being able to get through something difficult since golf is such a skilled sport,” said Coach Russel Wiley when asked what he wanted his team to get out of being on the golf team. 

   Coach Wiley is always on sight to improve his team any way he can. Some of his goals this year is to “finish better than we started — looking back at our first scores and see how much we improved. Also to make it to regionals is always one of our top goals.”   Coach Wiley doesn’t feel pressure, but when the girls do, he likes to ease the pressure and talk them through and make sure they don’t mess up.

  Sydnie Wherry, 12, one of Greenfield’s most valuable players, has been on a roll. With a great match just a week ago, she shot a 39. Whenever she is under pressure, she likes to “take deep breaths and don’t stress over a ball.”  She talks about what she likes most about being on the team. “The girls. They can definitely be a lot, but a special group of people. They are some of the best people to be around, when they don’t stress me out.” 

   Wherry has golfed since she was small, but started playing competitively since seventh grade. She enjoys going to Grandview Golf course once a month with her family. She also likes Hawks Tail. “I love Hawks Tail, mainly because I practice there a lot and go on my off days. I just know the course by heart.” Wherry offered some helpful words of advice to other golf players. “It is harder to keep composure than stress out and throw a tantrum. Never stress over one ball because if you stay angry at one ball, from there to the next shot or hole, you’re going to fall apart.” 

   Ella Neil, 11, another player on the golf team, enjoys being on the team and getting so close with the girls. She golfs almost every day besides Saturday. She golfs with the team all week, then golfs solo on Sundays. “On days I don’t have required practice, I like to go alone and practice difficult shots or just play a fun 9,” said Neil when asked what she likes to do on off days.  This shows how much work she puts into this sport. Neil loves her 7-iron and her driver; those are her go-to clubs. Neil ended the interview with some more advice for golf players. “Don’t get discouraged, even if you hit a bad shot. Just keep going. It’s not the end of the world,” she said.  

by Tyler Young/Staff Writer

The athletic director’s of the school do a lot more in a school day than someone may think. This story is to show people a common day as described by them.

Starting with the head athletic director, Mr. Jared Manning has been the head athletic director at Greenfield-Central since 2014 and he has revealed more about what he does at that position. Manning discussed how the sports schedules are made, since that is an important behind-the-scenes decision. Manning said, “We have a system event line that helps us manage events if we have an opening in the schedule. The IHSAA limits contests per sport. For example, for baseball we have 28 games at max with 14 conference games and 14 non-conference games so we just call and email different schools and post about needing games. We also send a contract to the schools. Spring this year is a 1 year contract deal though it usually is longer. If a school cancels they have to pay a fee that is in the contract.” 

 How often does Mr. Manning go to the games? “It’s a hit or miss,” he said.  “There are sports that want us there more often and sometimes we don’t go to certain sports because there are often officials that don’t need to be paid or taken care of. We are nearly at 95% of home events. We go to major events that are away games if at all possible.” 

Manning also talked about a common school day for him. “A typical school day we come in and we check email and make sure we have workers and officials for a game and our facilities are running and ready to be used. We have things thrown at us that we weren’t expecting. Our sound system went down in the gym and the scoreboard wasn’t working. We have big items like fall, winter, spring schedules getting made. (There’s a) newsletter and transportation made bus schedules and handled many issues. And we talk to coaches about previous and current events.” He also mentioned his main job as an athletic director. “My primary responsibility is to oversee the sports programs as a whole managing coaches scheduling events, managing events making sure student athletes are academically eligible and the uniforms for sports.”

Manning was asked about the sports he goes to and the programs he is more involved in. “There are three sports that we are most involved in that involve the biggest crowds like football with the special events and basketball boys and girls are another of the most involved because of the number of people that are here for the games.” 

Another question was if he played sports in high school and college himself. “I moved here before high school. I played soccer, basketball, and baseball. I went on to play soccer for 2 years at Franklin College. I decided to quit after I realized I wasn’t going pro so I focused on my degree. I’ve always played sports and been involved with them. I transfered to Purdue for sports management. I managed training officials. I’ve never been out of sports.” 

Another question was the care for athletes. “We have two full-time athletic trainers,” he said. “They get here at 2:00 and are here at practices and games to meet the needs of athletes. They are awesome.” Manning also talked about the sectional brackets. “Most of the sectional alignments are handled by the IHSAA. They do selections; they’re the ones that assign hosts sites. It’s crazy hosting, especially basketball. We have a meeting about how we manage the officials and the workers and the practices and the management of the game. It’s a lot to make it happen.” The last question was about talking with coaches and what they talk about, “We talk quite a bit, we talk as much as possible, they usually swing in and talk about the game before the game next and how the team is doing and what they need for us.”

Ms. Elizabeth Mercer is an assistant athletic director here at GCHS. The first question was about how many sporting events she attends regularly. “I would say 5 out of 7 days a week I attend sporting events after school. Mr. Manning and myself both attend all of the home events and split the responsibilities involved with events.” 

Regarding what a school day is like for her, she said, “Every school day is different! Some days we are working on our computers all day – answering emails, signing game contracts with other schools, working on schedules, game day information, social media, our website, and more. Other days we are out at different facilities working on things or getting them ready for games. Every day seems to bring something new to the table.” 

Mercer also talked about what sports she is more involved with.“I would say that I am more involved in volleyball and basketball due to having coached those sports before coming to GCHS,” she said. “However, I am at most of our teams’ home events. There are multiple sports that have bigger crowds at events, so it takes more people to ensure things run smoothly for those sports.” 

She also talked about what sports she played in high school and college. “I played volleyball and basketball in high school at Western Boone and played basketball in college at IUPUI.” 

The final question was about how often she talked with the coaches of various sports, “We talk with our coaches every day. They stop in our office all the time just to catch up and see how things are going. We also talk to them about their schedules, their games that might be happening that night, their facilities, and also about their athletes specifically.”

Lastly, Mrs. Fowler was the final interview. Ms. Brayana Fowler is an athletic trainer at GC. The first question was about how many games she goes to. “I go to all home sporting events. I am only required to travel with football. However, if everything is covered at home I will travel to sectionals, regionals, and state.” Regarding a typical school day for her, “On a typical school day I get here around 2:30pm, our athletic training room opens at 3 and if there are no games I am out of the building around 730pm. On game days I arrive a little earlier to set things up and leave depending on when the game is over, usually 9/10PM, later for football.” She also talked about the sports she is more involved in, “I am more involved with football. It is the top covered sport at GC as it has the highest rate for injury. I travel everywhere with football as well as covering home events.”

The next question for Fowler was about the sports she played in high school and college, “I played basketball and ran track in high school. I played basketball in college as well.” Fowler also mentioned if she had a job as a trainer before GC, “I am a Certified Athletic Trainer. I have both my bachelors and masters in athletic training. I was employed part time at Marion High School before transitioning full time to GC after having my daughter.” 

The last question for Fowler was about how often she talked with the coaches, “I conversate with coaches daily. It is extremely important to build good relationships with coaches for the best interest of the players.”

Sounds like the athletic department keeps themselves quite busy. Hopefully this article will show how much the athletic department and the people within it really do for athletes and the school.