NOCTILUCA September 2016

SPORTS Appleton, Wisconsin September 2016 Volume XXII

Issue I Page 12

How to be a dynamic fan at Appleton North

By Maddie Clark As an athlete, I have spent a great deal of my life at sporting events. These sporting events have ranged from swim meets to football games to wrestling meets. At these events, I have seen a wide range of good be- havior, but also a wide range of bad behavior. To help boost Appleton North’s sportsman- ship, I have decided to write four tips on how to success- fully create a safe, yet excit- ing atmosphere for all. Be Positive You may not like the WI- AA’s new reinforcements of sportsmanlike conduct that were presented in January, but they are definitely some- thing to keep in mind during a game. Instead of shouting, “We Can’t Hear You” when the opposing fan section is cheering, focus on your own team and the successes they are having in the game. You can do this by cheering loudly or clapping when the team scores. You can even make banners to support your fa- By Silvia Knighten Cross country needs more recognition. Cross country is a unique sport. It doesn’t involve sparkling leotards like gymnastics, or tiny speedos like swimming, and because of that, cross country is often overlooked. People pass it over as simply a sport of running, but there is so much more to cross country than that. Cross country pushes both your mental and physical limits. As senior Brennan Arnold said, “[Cross country] is hard because running is hard. Seriously speaking, it’s kinda like a mental battle and you have to convince yourself to actually do it, so you can feel good about it afterwards”. To become a good runner, you need to mentally prepare yourself. The coaches put a big emphasis on expanding your

in cross country, just as every- one is needed to win a football game or a swim meet. While you may support one person more than the others, you also want to cheer on the rest of the team so they can succeed as equally as the person whom Sometimes people have a friend from another school and go to a sporting event where their school and their friend’s school are playing against each other. Instead of wearing a sweatshirt from that school, wear your school colors. You go to your school, not your friend’s school, so make sure you represent that concept well. Also, don’t think it’s weird if you deck out in your school’s colors by wearing some outrageous outfit. Going all out on an out- fit just shows how much you love your school and its sports teams. So wear your blue and yel- low tutu with those yellow tights, and be proud of it. you are supporting. Have Team Spirit population, everyone is very supportive. Brennan Arnold said, “Everyone on the team will be helpful and support you, no matter if you’re in the first place or last place.” There is typically a meet once a week that lasts for about three hours. Junior Sidney Hestres said, “There are a few spectators at some of the meets, but I’d like if some people other than my parents and grandmother came to my meets. It would be nice to see some of the student body at a cross country meet one of these days.” Despite cross country not being ian Olympic sport, it should not be forgotten. It’s a great sport that involves exercising your muscles and exercising your brain while also making new friends. Be sure to come support the cross country team at one of their meets this fall!

Fan support at any sporting event can boost athlete moral. Illustration by Olivia Molter

vorite player or friend, as long as they are appropriate and positive. A good mantra to re- member this rule is to “Cheer not jeer”. Dress Appropriately I think it’s safe to say that you aren’t going to wear shorts and a T-shirt to a football game in the fall. You always need to keep the environment of the sport in mind when planning to attend that sport-

ing competition. The swim- ming pool is often humid, so wearing a cashmere sweater and jeans isn’t a good idea. A better alternative would be to wear a T-shirt and athletic pants or shorts. A good outfit to wear to a football game or a soccer game would be jeans and a sweatshirt. If you are not sure regarding what you should wear to an event, you can check the weather, con- sider the location of the sport,

or ask a friend on the team for advice on what outfit would suit the environment of the sport. Support the Entire Team You may want to go to a cross country meet because your best friend is participat- ing in it, but there are also many other people who are competing in the same sport from your school. Everyone is needed in order to win a race ideal. Cross country is special because it involves a group of people and a set of coaches even though it really is an individual sport. You are running for yourself, so you can try to improve your personal record, and get yourself one of the eight spots on the varsity team. A comforting thing to remember is that the entire time you are running in a group with other people who are all trying to achieve the same goal as you. Hertting said, “At a certain point, the team really will seem like a second family.” A standard practice starts with everyone warming up with basic exercises, and then eventually running in gradual increments. When running, you separate into different groups, so you can run with people at your own level. But even though you are only running with some of the team’s Girls’ Tennis 9/8 vs Fond du Lac 9/12 vs. Fox Valley Lutheran Girls’ Golf 9/8 vs. Oshkosh West 9/13 @ Reid Golf Course

Recognizing the success of North’s cross country team

Cross country team visualizing to help boost their performance. Photo by Maddie Clark

mental boundaries, so you can continue running, even when everything in your mind is telling you to stop. Sophomore Iris Hertting explained that the coaches try to help you see how changing your mindset can allow you to reap incredible results. Cross country is unique in that you’re running for long periods of time, and instead

of running on a track, you’re running across fields, or up the hills. Some of North’s cross country practices happen in Plamann Park, where the runners can go through nature. Meets can often be difficult, especially if the grass is wet. Coaches try to prepare the athletes on how to be the best runner they can possibly be, even if the conditions are not

Go see...

Cross Country 9/8 @ Colburn Park 9/15 @ Meadowbrook Park

Boys’ Soccer 9/13 @ Oshkosh West 9/20 vs. Fond du Lac Girls’ Swimming 9/6 vs. Neenah 9/13 @ Oshkosh North

Boys’ Volleyball 9/6 vs. Notre Dame 9/12 @ Kaukauna Girls’ Volleyball 9/8 @Appleton East 9/13 vs. Kaukauna

Varsity Football 9/9 @Wausau West 9/16 vs. Kimberly

Tennis players prepare for competition. Photo by Olivia Molter