Tag Archives: Michael Pepin

Baseball, Michael Pepin

Recent injuries jeopardize baseball team’s perfect season

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By Michael Pepin

The baseball team is in the middle of one of their most successful seasons ever. Currently they are undefeated with 12 wins. However, this success could be in jeopardy due to the recent injuries that the team has been experiencing.

“In any sport you are going to have your injuries; every year it seems like something happens and you don’t know when or who but its going to happen,” said baseball coach Casey LaDuke.

This year has been unusual due to the amount of injuries.  In addition to the two major injuries, there have been a number of smaller incidents and injuries that present a worry to the baseball team fans and their undefeated record. Especially since it appears senior Cody Sunderhaus and junior Aaron Sneed will be out for the season. However the baseball team remains confident that they will be able to keep their undefeated record despite these setbacks.

“We have already won a couple games since then, so if we keep working as hard as we have been then we could have an undefeated season,” said Sunderhaus.

During one of the baseball games Sunderhaus broke his hand.  It is still undecided whether or not his injury will keep him out for the entire season.

In addition to Sunderhaus, junior Aaron Sneed also severed the labium in his shoulder. His injury will require surgery and will leave him unable to play for the remainder of  the season. Both had been stellar players for the team, which left some fans worrying about the impact their absence will have on the team. Several other players suffered minor injuries like sprains, strains and overextension pains.

“I do not think that the injuries will affect the team overall because it is a group effort to be able to win a game, not just one individual’s efforts,” said athletic trainer Becky Clifton.

The other members of the baseball team are confident that they will be able to fill in for their injuried comrades. It was hard work and practice that has carried them through this winning streak and it will take even more effort to continue to win.

“It’s going to be tough to keep winning every game, but we are going to keep working hard and see how long we can keep it going,” said LaDuke.
A&E, Michael Pepin

Project Keep the Inspiration proves successful

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By Michael Pepin

Inspiration has a great deal to do with success, and for many FC students involved in music, this inspiration began with the elementary school tour, in which Highland Hills middle school eighth graders play for the elementary school kids to inspire them to pursue music in middle and eventually high school. However, when it became known that the school board was thinking about cutting this program, several students stepped up to the plate and formed Project Keep the Inspiration to show just how important this tour was to the school board.

“We first heard about the elementary school tour being cancelled by Mr. Thomas in band class.  It’s something that a lot of people look forward to and it’s a big part of the program,” said eighth grader Alleson Estar, who, along with her friend Camden Hardin first formed the project.  With the number of arts programs being cut from schools, they said they felt inspired to make sure that the same thing does not happen to their music program.

Since then, they have created a page on Facebook to advertise the project, and wrote a formal letter to the school board to persuade them against their decision.  In addition, they got over 130 students from the middle school and Floyd Central high school to sign a petition.  They presented all of this to the school board on Monday, April 8th.

They argued that music was vital to the growth of elementary and middle school students, and that the elementary school tour encouraged students to join the music program.

“I remember when I was in elementary school and when the band came to visit Galena.  He (the band director) stopped and turned around and asked a question, ‘Who would like to come up and direct the band?’ Out of the hundreds of kids that raised their hands, he chose me.  At that moment when I walked up there, I realized that I wanted to be in band, and play music,” said former FC student Zach Stigler.

“I believe that the elementary school tour is necessary because if we don’t have it, then people will be less inclined to join band,” said Hardin.  She believes that the tour is necessary to inspire the younger generation to play an instrument, and that they will join because they wanted to.  This tour was, after all, first designed to show the elementary school students what they can do in middle school.  When they see firsthand the result of the work it will take to learn an instrument, more are willing to put in the effort.  With more students that are willing to put in the necessary effort, the band program improves.

“The elementary school tour is the reason that I did band in middle school.  Without it, I would not have learned how to play the saxophone and then gone on to marching band,” said sophomore Christian Bush.  When middle school band students progress to the high school level, they are required to participate in one year of marching band.  For many, that one year leads to a lot of good times and memories.

“Marching band has become part of my life, a lot of great memories were made during band season,” said Bush.

In addition to inspiring the elementary school students, the middle school students receive a surge of inspiration as they see first hand the effect of music on others and get to show off their talent.

“The elementary school tour is something that really benefits all the students; the eighth graders get a lot out of it as well as the middle schoolers,” said senior Christian Thomas.

Recently, Highland Hills principal Steve Griffin relayed the information that the school board has decided to keep the tour active annually.

The school’s decision to keep the elementary school tour was brought about heavily by Project Keep the Inspiration.  The HHMS eighth graders will continue to display their talents to the nearby elementary schools.  The musical arts program will continue in the years to come.

“I treasure my four years in marching band, and that wouldn’t have been possible without the elementary school tour,” said senior Derek Hanke.

Michael Pepin, Sports

Fans weigh in on U of L and IU’s basketball seasons

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By Michael Pepin

With the Big East and Big Ten conference tournaments next week, many people are beginning to formulate their own predictions and opinions of how this month of madness will turn out.

“There are six teams in the Top 25 right now [in the Big East], more than any other conference, just beating the Big Ten, which has five.  I think that while U of L is vulnerable at any given time, they have what it takes to make win the Big East Conference,” said biology teacher  Kirk Moldenhauer, who believes that U of L will also win the NCAA Basketball tournament, barely triumphing over IU.

However others have different predictions about the two local teams.

“I think that U of L will make it to the finals in the Big East Conference and then lose to Georgetown, since their team is really good this year.  IU will only make it to the Elite Eight, if not just the Sweet 16,” said sophomore Harrison Rice.

Many agreed that the teams this year are very talented, though flawed.

“If (point guard Peyton) Siva doesn’t play well, the rest of the team doesn’t play well.  Sometimes he rushes the shots, and that costs the team points.  However the team this year is easily capable of making it to the finals,” said Rice.

The opinion remains generally the same even with fans of different teams.

“IU has the best team in college basketball, but sometimes when we turn it over, we don’t get as many possessions as we should.  Yet, even with that there is no doubt that the team will make it to the final four.  We are still ranked number 2 in the country,” said freshman Landon Receveur.

However, triumphing over the other teams in the NCAA basketball tournament requires more than a prestigious name or a good team and skillful players.

“Anybody can beat anybody these days; 15 years ago there were only a few good teams that stood a chance of winning.  In order to win the NCAA, even the best teams need a lot of luck,” said Moldenhauer.

Features, Michael Pepin

Media Center experiences changing purpose

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By Michael Pepin

The Media Center is as busy as always, filled with students cramming for a test, chatting with friends, and surfing the web. Ever since FC obtained a rebuilt library four years ago, its purpose has become more of a subject of discussion, as the students seeking books are far outnumbered by those simply seeking a place to hang or surf the web.

“I think that students feel like the library is a safe place to exchange information with their friends and research.  A lot of students come into the library in groups, or as a part of an entire classroom,” said media specialist Pamela Poe.  “The library has become more of a learning commons than anything else.”

Many students, including senior Brian Young, agree with Poe’s statement about the library.

“I use the library for anything from finding books, hanging out with friends, doing homework, studying for a test, checking my email, whatever I need to do.  It’s more than simply a place to checkout books now.” said Young.

In fact, Poe, media assistant Vince Goodman, and a number of students who regularly use the library, believe that the majority of students now come into the library for the computers rather than the books.

“The library has become more of a computer lab than anything, it’s easier to study on a computer than it is with books.  I think that in future years the library might have more computers than books,” said junior Seth Jenkins.

In fact, the library plans to follow through with the BYOD plan (bring your own device plan) to allow the usage of wireless readers and other devices in the library.  In addition, the media center is planning on stocking the library with several ebooks that will be available for checkout as well.

“I mean it’s in the name, they call it the media center now, not the library.  The library is eventually going to get rid of all the books and be just devices like ebook and computers.  It’s already started, I mean how often do you see people coming in to find a good book to read, and how often do you see someone coming in to log onto a computer.  People like the library because it is a computer lab with better access,” said junior Katie Davis.

However Poe has a different opinion on the future of the library.

“People come to the library because there is a greater access to information than anywhere else in the school, and having both forms of research available is why so many students come in.  Some do only use the library for the computers, but there will always be some who come in to discover an amazing book.  If it gets them through the door, then perhaps maybe they will end up picking up a book.  There is just no substitute for holding an actual book and being enthralled in a story, it’s timeless.”

JT Samart, Michael Pepin, Sports, Wrestling

Wrestling team finds success, sends senior Terrence Kennedy to state

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By Michael Pepin and JT  Samart

Update: Nick Ottersbach, Chase Herron and Kolton Popp were all selected to Honorable Mention for Academic All-State in wrestling.  Senior Terrence Kennedy has advanced to state competition by placing third in semi-state, the only one on the team to do so.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_nB8KsSR9o]