During Track season, I have found a recurring issue that comes back around the same time every year, and that issue is both shin splints and soreness. To fix this problem I have started my journey of using a variety of techniques both individually and in combination with other methods listed.
Proper warmup/cooldown and agility stretching
Proper warmup/cooldown and stretching are essential for any runner who wants to avoid injury. From my experience, however, you should not rely on warmups or stretches alone to avoid or get rid of shin splints and soreness. This method works best to prevent further or new injuries, shin splints, and soreness when it is in combination with good running technique, other injury recovery methods, proper breaks between reps, and listening to your body. Nevertheless, this does not in any way mean that warmup/cooldown and agility stretches should be neglected because they don’t show immediate results. In the long run, a good warmup with agility stretches will get your body ready for plenty of running exercises. And a proper cooldown will prevent build up of soreness and tense feeling in your body.
Hand Massage
Overall, I did not find hand massages very effective in my recovery journey. However, this may be due to my massages being done at home with not much information. If you are looking into hand massages I recommend going to a sports massage therapist directly or talking to your schools sports trainer for tips on shin splints, injuries, or soreness. In the future I plan to try hand massages out again after finding more information on this technique.
Foam + handheld Rollers
foam roller
handheld roller
Foam rollers and handheld rollers have been one of the most useful items I’ve used for recovery and injury prevention. I definitely recommend getting a foam roller if you can. When I was recovering from soreness over winter break I used a foam roller to roll out. Over the next couple days with the use of a roller, the soreness went away very quickly and effectively. Foam rollers are very good for large muscle groups while handheld rollers may be better for more specific and smaller groups of muscles.
Ice Packs and Muscle Sleeves
ice packs for shins
Ice packs and muscle sleeves are good injury recovery items in order to reduce inflammation in muscle groups. Ice packs have proven to be very effective on my shin splints. Over the past couple of weeks of trying out ice packs my shin splints have gotten noticeably better and don’t get in the way of my workouts as much as they did before I used ice packs.
While using shin splint sleeves I have found that they provide good support, compression, and reduction of inflammation. I would however, definitely recommend that if you are going to use ice packs or shin sleeves, to combine them with another technique of recovery/prevention for a more effective and consistent result.
When working out or running, it’s important to find shoes that are comfortable and prevent injuries. After running for many years, I’ve found many brands with good-quality shoes that last a while. Currently, my favorite brands are Hoka and Asics; I also would recommend buying shoes from Brooks and Saucony.
Hoka: In the past 3 years, Hoka has become one of the most popular athletic shoe brands. Not only are their shoes comfortable, but they are stylish and cute. When shopping for running shoes, you’ll quickly find that most are ugly. However, Hoka has nailed making great running shoes that are also pleasing to the eye.
Clifton 9’s: As of now, I own the Clifton 9’s; these shoes are extra cushiony–a necessity for me because I have shin problems. Additionally, the Cliftons are versatile for everyday walking, running, and exercising. Like all of Hoka’s shoes, this model comes in multiple color choices ranging from blue to pink.
Rincon: If you are looking for a shoe that is very light, the Rincons are a great choice for you. These shoes are more narrow in shape but can also be used for walking, running, and working out. One con to these shoes is that they are less popular, so fewer color choices are offered.
Asics: Personally, this is my all-time favorite brand for running shoes. I’ve found that Asics sells shoes that are both lightweight and cushiony. In comparison to Hoka, I believe this brand is slightly better quality. (My brother has had issues with the tongue of the shoe tearing on his Hoka shoes.) Next season, I hope to get Asics again because I miss my old shoes.
Gel Nimbus: These are THE BEST shoes you’ll ever buy for running. My favorite thing about these shoes is that they have gel in the sole; this allows for a cushiony experience while still maintaining the lightness of the shoes. Asics are great shoes for people who have foot problems by providing great support.
Brooks: When I first started running, this brand was where I got my first pair of shoes from. Overall, I think that Brooks is a solid company with good shoes. Their shoes are comfortable and are made of good quality; however, I feel that these shoes feel too chunky. While I prefer cushioned shoes, Brooks was too cushioned for me and felt heavy when running. Despite my opinion of Brooks, my mom loves this brand and only buys running shoes from them. My experience with this company has been great, but there are other shoes that I prefer. (Also, their colors aren’t as cute as Hoka/Asics.)
Ghost 15: Very cushiony and great for running on pavement, very supportive for shins and knees. This model is great for road running, walking, and trail runs.
Glycerin 20: I was actually contemplating between buying this shoe and the Gel Nimbus when I was shopping for running shoes (the only prohibitor was the price). The Glycerin is great for feeling light and airy on runs, making each step feel supportive. Inside the shoe, the interior is plushy enough to mold a secure fit.
Saucony: Last but not least is Saucony, I’ve never owned a pair of running shoes from them–only racing flats. Despite this, about 6 people from my team own Sauconys and rave about them. I’ve tried on my friend’s shoes and can testify that they are exceedingly comfortable. One of the Seniors on my team has had these shoes since her freshman year because they are reliable and pleasant to run in.
Triumph 21: Again, I have never owned these shoes before, but the Triumphs are Saucony’s most popular shoes (so they must be good).
Maybe they aren’t the most popular team ever. Maybe they almost never win. So why have they been my favorite baseball team for my entire life? Maybe fans of other teams don’t understand. But today, I am going to tell you some of the reasons why.
1. The first reason why the Angels are my favorite team is that the energy at the stadium is always so positive. This is one benefit of not being a very high caliber team. Despite all the losses, however, they do win sometimes, but none of us fans are expecting it.
2. Another reason for why the Angels are my favorite team is that it brings my family and I closer together. We all like to go to the games and then talk about it afterward. And also, most of my family enjoys watching the Angels games from home. This is a great bonding time for us as well.
3. And the last reason that I will share with you all today is the fact that I like watching the players.
Hm. I haven’t shined the Angels in such a good light. Yes, the team doesn’t win often, but that doesn’t mean that the players aren’t talented. They have a lot of young talent such as Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe, Nolan Schanuel, and Ben Joyce. They also have other talented player that aren’t rookies such as Mickey Moniak, Mike Trout, and Luis Rengifo. The Angles owner doesn’t like to spend a lot of money on coaches, so the only good coaches these young players have is their manager, and the veterans on the team. Still, however, what the Angels need to make a winning team are good starting pitchers. They have the young arms of Reid Detmers and Chase Silseth, but they lacked in consistency. However much the Angels lose, I still enjoy going to their games and getting excited when they do win.
As the school year approaches, many high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) are preparing for the girls tennis season, as it is a fall sport. The preparation includes tennis camps and tryouts, where girls of all levels play each other to be placed on the team of their caliber. If you are looking to join your high school’s tennis team, listed below are what you should expect:
Conditioning: During tennis camps the girls are expected to do a multitude of running drills to get their speed, endurance, and agility improved for the season. One drill is commonly known aspect “Suicides” where players line up on the baseline and then sprint to the lines below, making sure to touch the baseline again after each one. Another conditioning drill is relay races, where players divide up into teams and do one “Suicide.” Whichever team finishes first wins, and the losing team has to do whatever “punishment” the winners pick, like 10 squats or 10 jumping jacks.
Hitting Drills: In both the tennis camps and tryouts, the girls play hitting drills with the coach on their court. This entails games where coaches feed players the ball, such as overhead and volley drills. There are other drills that include hitting forehand and backhand shots and then coming up to the net with an approach shot, followed by a volley and/or overhead.
Practicing Serves: Players practice their serves simultaneously at the baseline during the camps. Usually while practicing their serves, there will be cones in the service box to target. This is advantageous since it teaches the players how to serve in match play by focusing on the corners. If you hit a cone, you typically will not have to participate in whatever conditioning the other girls on your court have to do.
Live Ball: During live ball, the girls play games against each other, such as Queen(s) of the Court. In Queen(s) of the Court, there is either a single girl or two girls that are the queens on one side of the court. All the other girls have to challenge the queen(s) and if they win, they replace the queen(s) on the other side of the court. There are many other live ball games like Queen(s) of the Court that test how a player responds in match play.
I hope my explanation clarifies any questions you may have about how high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District operate their girls tennis camps and tryouts.
With the conclusion of the US Swimming Olympic Team Trials in June, the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics seems closer than ever. Since over 700 swimmers competed at trials, I decided to recap just a few of my favorite stories.
Caeleb Dressel
One of the best comeback stories at trials this year was Caeleb Dressel’s return. After completing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with 5 golds, it seemed as though Dressel was unstoppable. However, due to overwhelming stress, he took a 9-month mental health break in the middle of 2022, withdrawing from all competitions.
While many were unsure of his return, Dressel would resume training in early 2023. Since then, he has slowly returned to the top, taking first in the 50 Free and 100 Fly at the Olympic Trials.
Katie Ledecky
In swimming history, few athletes have come close to the longevity and dominance of Katie Ledecky. With 21 world championship gold medals (surpassing Michael Phelps in 2023), she was, once again, one of the most anticipated swimmers going into trials this year.
As many viewers expected, Ledecky won all 4 of her events. She also extended her reign on the 1500 Free; she now holds the top 19 times in the event globally.
Lily King
Lily King, the world record holder in the 50 and 100 Breaststroke, is now the first American swimmer to qualify for the 100B and 200B in 3 straight Olympic Games. In addition to King’s impressive performance at trials, she is now engaged; her boyfriend James Wells proposed to her moments after she clinched her spot in the 200B.
Alex and Gretchen Walsh
Finally, Alex and Gretchen Walsh have become the first sibling duo to qualify for the US Olympic Team since 2004. Alex Walsh clinched her spot in the 200 IM, which qualifies her for her second Olympic Games. Gretchen Walsh, the younger of the two, qualified for the 100 Fly, while setting a new world record in the process.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson revolutionized the game of basketball by hitting ridiculously long-distance threes consistently. The second they step past half-court, they are an immediate threat to shoot and score. Teams have to bring their defense up past the three-point line to ensure that doesn’t happen. They are the first to have defenses be so frightened of such incredible shooting. They were given the nickname “The Splash Brothers”. When a basketball cleanly goes into a hoop, it makes a splash sound. That is why they are the Splash Brothers because they splash threes consistently and continuously.
When they first began contending for championships, lots of people doubted them because they thought shooting alone couldn’t win championships. The championship teams before Steph and Klay normally always either have a point guard with a great big man scoring and dunking, or two-way wing players. For example, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the point guard and big man, or Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as two-way wing players. But Steph and Klay completely changed that narrative.
From 2015-2022, they proved that you can win championships with great shooting alone. They also had a great playmaker in Draymond Green to find them open to shoot or set screens to get them open to shoot. They dominate the NBA together, winning four championships in seven years.
Men’s volleyball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, having increased by 40% since 2017. This fun and easy-to-learn sport has a rich and interesting beginning, and it all started in 1895, at a YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
William George Morgan was born on January 23, 1870, in the town of Lockport, New York. Morgan attended the Northfield Mount Hermon Preparatory School, where he met James Naismith, the future inventor of basketball. After that, he attended the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School (now known as Springfield College) in Massachusetts, where he and Naismith both pursued careers in physical education. In 1895, Morgan moved to Holyoke, Massachusetts, where he became the Director of Physical Education at the local YMCA.
Morgan noticed that while playing basketball, the non-athletic/older men playing would have a hard time keeping up with the strenuous physical activity involved. He decided that he wanted to make a different game, similar to basketball, but more inclusive and easier to play. Morgan used ideas from handball, tennis, badminton, and his own experience to develop his new game.
The game would feature:
A 30 feet wide, 60 feet long playing area
A 6-foot, 6-inch net in the middle, separating the play area into two halves
5 people on each side of the court, making a total of 10 players
A ball, which would be sent over the net in a “volley”
Innings (inspired from baseball), later called “sets,” to add a competitive tone to the game
A problem that Morgan had was finding a ball to use for his new game. A basketball was too heavy and hard, and just the bladder of the basketball itself was too light, so he contacted A.G. Spalding & Bros to make him a custom ball. They created a leather ball, around 26 inches in circumference, and was the perfect weight for his sport, 9-12 ounces. Finally, all the new sport needed was a name, and Morgan named it “Mintonette,” a word derived from badminton.
In 1896, William Morgan first presented his sport at the to the YMCA Directors of Physical Education at the YMCA in Springfield. The object of the game was to keep the ball off the floor as it went from one side of the net to the other. One person that was especially intrigued was Professor Alfred T. Halsted, who was the first person to suggest naming the sport “Volley ball,” later formed into one word, volleyball.
As the years went by, many major things happened:
1900 – Spalding starts to produce the volleyball
1920s – First beach volleyball courts are created in Santa Monica, California
1922 – First YMCA volleyball national championships held in Brooklyn; 27 teams appeared
1928 – the United States Volleyball Association (USVBA) was created, which made rules and held tournaments (now known as USA Volleyball)
1937 – USAV recognized as the national governing body for the sport
1947 – FIVB (The Federation Internationale De Volleyball) was founded
1964 – Volleyball was introduced to the Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan
1983 – The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) is formed
1996 – Two-man beach volleyball becomes an Olympic sport
On December 30th, 1984, one of the greatest players in NBA history was born named Lebron Raymone James Sr. Growing up, Lebron had a difficult childhood. His father, a convicted criminal, was not a part of his life nor did he support the family in any way. As his family moved from apartment to apartment, his mother constantly looked for a stable job to maintain the family. When James was nine years old, his mom decided to send him to live with Frank Walker, a football coach who presented him with the sport and saw potential in him. Although he started out playing football while he was in Elementary School, he changed to playing basketball when he got older. James would practice basketball whenever possible to improve and achieve his dream of making the NBA.
Once James got to High School, He became the main topic of every newspaper and magazine. He was crowned the Best High School Player in the Nation. James had the whole world watching his every move and was given the nickname “The Chosen One”. A few years later in 2003, Lebron James entered the NBA draft. He went straight into the NBA draft without attending College which very few did because they did not have the talent. And to nobody’s surprise, James was selected number one overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA draft.
Many were excited to watch Lebron James’ first season in the NBA. He had immense pressure to live up to what was expected from him. Lebron went on and had one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time and won Rookie of the Year in 2004.
Books about LeBron James are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. They are also available to download for free from Libby.
Ronald Acuña Jr. ,number 13, is a right fielder for the Atlanta Braves. He was born in La Guaria, Venezuela on 12/18/1997 now he is 26 years old, his height is 6 feet on the dot and his weight is 205. He was hitting very well in the 2023 season with a batting average of 0.337 which is the 2nd in the National League. He’s hit 41 home runs which is the 5th in the National League, and 106 RBI (Runs Batted In) which is the 8th tied in the National League. Also his OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) is 1.012, a good OPS for a MLB player is above 0.800 and he is .200 above the good OPS number. Also he stole 73 bases which only few people can steal more than 60 bases. He has been doing well in the postseason as well by hitting 2 home runs and 3 runs in.
Fun Fact about Ronald Acuña Jr.
He is the only player in MLB to at least hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in a single season.
He became the fifth member of the 40-40 club in 2023.
He signed with the Atlanta Braves for 100 million dollars for 8 years in 2019.
Kevin Durant joined the Warriors for three years from 2017-2019. They obliterated the NBA together, making the NBA finals all three years in a row, and winning two championships. They are considered to be one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
Heading into the 2019 playoffs, everybody believed the Warriors were easily going to win the championship again due to their overpowering roster. In the first round against the Clippers, the Warriors shockingly blew a 31-point lead in game two, allowing the Clippers to tie the series up at 1-1. The Warriors would take games three and four in Staples Center, and everyone assumed they would close the Clippers out in game five. But the Clippers held on in the fourth quarter to defeat the Warriors and make the series 3-2. Everyone thought the Warriors might be in some trouble, but in game six, Kevin Durant scored 50 points to propel the Warriors to round two of the playoffs.
The Warriors in round two beat the Rockets just like they had done the year before, but the big concern was Kevin Durant. Midway through the third quarter in game five, Kevin Durant suffered an Achilles’ tendon injury and had to head back to the locker room. The injury seemed to be severe and he would have to miss at the very least the entire Western Conference Finals.
The Warriors faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2019 Western Conference Finals. They knew they would have to face them without one of their best players. Many people were thinking the Warriors without KD were going to struggle a bit with Portland. But Stephen Curry proved the world wrong again. The Warriors swept the Blazers 4-0. In three of the four victories, the Warriors were down double digits and rallied back to defeat the Blazers. Stephen Curry averaged 36.5 points in the series, which is the highest average in the history of the NBA in a four-game sweep. This is one of the most impressive playoff series of all time.
In the NBA finals, the Warriors took on the Toronto Raptors, who had just defeated the Milwaukee Bucks with the league MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo in six games, 4-2. The Raptors have the home-court advantage in this series due to their slightly better regular season record. The Warriors and Raptors split the first two games at Scotiabank Arena, evening the series at 1-1. But unfortunately for the Warriors, Klay Thompson would be out for game three due to an awkward landing after taking a jump shot in game two. Now the Warriors are missing Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, leaving Steph Curry on his own to carry all the load on offense.
Stephen Curry stepped up to the challenge and did not disappoint in game three. He scored 47 points with 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. But his effort simply was not enough to defeat the fully healthy Raptors team. All five starters for the Raptors scored at least 17 points. Every time the Warriors hit a shot to try to start a run on their home court, the Raptors would hit a shot to respond right back. The Warriors were trailing for nearly the whole game and they never led again after 95 seconds into the game. The Warriors are now in trouble and have to find a way to win game four without their best players.
Klay Thompson decided to return in game four, but many thought he was not 100% healed. He just wanted to come back to help his team despite not being fully healthy. He knew if they were down 3-1, it would be extremely difficult to win three games in a row to come back in the series. In game four, the Warriors came out playing great in the first half and held on to a 4-point lead heading into halftime. The last three minutes of the third quarter was what lost them the game. The score was tied 61-61, but then the Raptors went on an 18-6 run to take a 12-point lead at the end of the third quarter. The Raptors held on to their lead in the fourth quarter and won game four by 13 points. Klay Thompson played well scoring 28 points on great efficiency. But Stephen Curry simply couldn’t duplicate his performance from game 3 and scored only 22 points on mediocre efficiency.
Down 3-1, heading back to Scotiabank Arena, many thought the Raptors would be crowned champions that night. But before the game, Kevin Durant was cleared to play in game five, giving the Warriors their full healthy roster back. Knowing the news, many started giving them a chance of completing the 3-1 comeback. With Kevin Durant on the court in the first quarter, the Warriors felt like a completely different team. The Raptors were not able to throw their entire defense at Stephen Curry because they had to worry about Kevin Durant as well. And it seemed like if this continued, there was nothing the Raptors could do. Durant played most of the first quarters and scored 11 points on three made threes. But in the second quarter, Kevin Durant was trying to drive past Serge Ibaka on a play. He fell and landed awkwardly. He struggled to get up. At that moment, the world just knew that it was something serious. Kevin Durant tore his Achilles, and he will be gone for the rest of the series. He had only played 12 minutes before getting injured.
Without Kevin Durant, the Warriors still had to win the game to stay alive in the series and bring it back home to Oracle Arena. The game was close the whole night, going back and forth between these two teams. But with three minutes left, the Raptors were up 6 points at home. It seemed like it was over. But Steph and Klay hit three consecutive threes in the next minute and a half to take a three-point lead. Down the stretch, the only two points the Raptors scored was a layup to make it a one-point game with 29.9 seconds left. The Warriors held on to win by one 106-105.
With all the momentum going home, it seemed like the Warriors had the chance to do the impossible. However, the Raptors came out in a great rhythm from three, shooting nearly 70% in the first quarter, but only led by one, 33-32. The game continued at a stalemate until halftime. During the third quarter, both teams tried to gain momentum but were unable to. However, Klay Thompson had been playing incredibly, already having 30 points with still three minutes left in the third quarter. With 2:22 left, it happened again. Klay Thompson was going for a fast break, and Danny Green was chasing him trying to block it. They both jumped and Klay got fouled hard. He landed awkwardly on his leg and was immediately in pain. The Warriors had suffered another injury. Klay Thompson immediately headed to the locker room and was unable to return to the game. Stephen Curry, without his two best teammates, was faced with 14 more minutes of game action, and his team was only up three points. In the fourth quarter, the teams fought it out but it ultimately ended with Stephen Curry missing a three for a chance to take the lead and the Raptors winning the 2019 Championship. Klay Thompson’s injury ended up being a torn ACL, which means he could miss all of the next season too.
Although it ended like that for the Warriors in game six, I believe that even if they had won game six, it would take a miracle for them to pull it off in game seven. They would have been down Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant again like they were in game three, and 47 points from Steph was not even enough for them to win.
In conclusion, if Klay Thompson had not torn his ACL in game six, I believe that they would have completed the 3-1 comeback and defeated the Toronto Raptors in seven games. And if Kevin Durant was healthy the entire series, they probably would have swept the Raptors 4-0, or at the very least won the series in five games 4-1. They were a way better team when fully healthy, and they were still the better team even without Kevin Durant.
Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice 