By Alexander Bachtold

Bowling, often overshadowed by more mainstream sports, has found a unique spot at O’Connor High School. Despite the lack of widespread recognition, the bowling team thrives on the passion and skills of its members. “Something about the curve and the ball hitting the pocket in the pins is just so satisfying,” varsity player Christian Barrera said.

Team captain Roger Barnett shared that his interest “stems from the early success I experienced as I began to learn the sport.”

For those interested in taking up bowling, a key element to focus on is discipline. “The most important skills for bowling are focus, mentality, and constancy,” Barnett said.

Constancy, defined as the ability to remain enduring and unchanging, is an indispensable skill in bowling, given that many aspects of the game remain consistent from round to round. However, one must also consider variables such as “…how oiled the lanes are…” and “how dry your ball is,” as noted by Christian Barrera.

When questioned about how he maintains these crucial skills, Barnett revealed, “I focus on refining my form and hook during practice, making the effort to train 3-4 times a week outside of our team matches.” This commitment to consistent practice exemplifies the dedication of players on the bowling team, including Barnett and Barrera, as they strive to continually enhance and ultimately perfect their playstyles.

The Bowling Team’s most recent match on November 28th could only be described as thrilling. According to Roger Barnett, it was a close match because both teams were balanced in terms of experience and skill. “We all performed good picking up spares and striking often…” Barnett said.

Although O’Connor managed to get a lead in *bakers. Here it was that their strong team spirit and focus allowed them to secure several wins over the opposing team Stevens HS.

*Bakers refers to a style of bowling where the entire team shares the bowling line.

Angel Mercado Staff writer

  Our 25th Anniversary was the highlight of this semester. Principal Robert Martinez opened the ceremony with a speech about our campus history, and several other administration and Superintendent Dr. John Craft spoke to audience guests and alumni in attendance. They gave inspiring speeches about how our school came to be the way it is today. They also discussed how Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor attended the school’s dedication to talking to the students and faculty. The evening program also featured our theater, choir, and cheer with the addition of the JROTC Color Guard. The audience included current parents and students, alumni and also community members that support our campus and wanted to join the celebration.

Micaella Rodriguez Co-Editor-in-Chief

Community service, stellar grades and even better attitudes is what is expected of the members of National Honor Society that serve the Panther community. Newest juniors and seniors got inducted into the program on November 14th, and as members, they must complete a minimum of 20 hours per semester.

   Ava Berios, NHS shares why community service is so important to her. “My favorite idea is the mentoring. The fact that that’s a part of NHS is very important to me. It’s not just community service, it’s more like, you’re building relationships with your community.” Berios said.

   Berios described NHS and the significance of the program,

  “My youngest brother has special needs and so we got really involved in our community from a young age with special needs programs and…figured we could make a bigger impact through that, so I joined NHS as soon as I could and then I wanted to help be a leading voice in it so I applied

 to be an officer.” Berios said.

  “My biggest thing is accessibility, that’s why I wanted to go into engineering in college…there should not be a reason where anybody gets turned away from a building or program or and that’s why that’s my biggest community impact is making things accessible.”

  As high schoolers, some may feel discouraged to demand change and take action, Berios offered advice based on this struggle.

  “Don’t take no for an answer, if someone says you can’t do this, go to the next person, there’s always a higher person in command, then go from there,” Berios said.

  Tatum McClung, Panther Pals Coordinator is also very grateful for this program and its many opportunities.

  “My favorite aspect of NHS is being able to participate in a variety of community service activities that let me help others…I loved participating in Panther Pals and being able to teach and guide young children,” McClung said.

  Underclassmen have an opportunity to broaden their horizons and make new connections and meet new people.

  “Try to outdo yourself, try to impress yourself, when you think you’ve done well, try to push yourself to do even better. Always try hard and use your free time wisely,” McClung said.

  Jeran Manzanares, senior second-year member of NHS shared why he joined NHS and his favorite aspects of the organization. 

   “I love meeting new people that are just as determined academically as me,” Manzanares said.

   In addition to the experience of getting involved within the com-

munity brings along the opportunity to form new connections and helps college applicants stand out.

   “I took the time to apply [to NHS] because I knew it was going to benefit me in the long run…and knowing that it will all be worth it in the end, getting hours while volunteering makes you feel like you’re doing something, like you’re helping your school.” Manzanares highly recommends working hard during underclassmen years to be able to apply for the program.

   “It opens up a lot of future opportunities, not just for volunteering, but also for college and future academics” Manzanares said.

In the long run, Manzanares hopes to have a positive impact on his community “I want to be able to inspire someone else…I want to inspire people to be more involved in school and academics or volunteer work and do their part for the community.” Manzanares said, 

  Overall, the program has much to offer and gives many benefits for high school and beyond. Not only does helping the community assist those in need, but it can help NHS members go outside of their usual circle and get experience that is able to be used for college applications in order to make a stand-out appearance. 

Brooke Amosson Co-Editor-in-Chief

Friday night lights are a crucial part of a true high school experience, but they wouldn’t be possible without the help of our athletic trainers. The athletic trainers(A.T.) are the unsung heroes of our athletic program, working behind the scenes, often going unnoticed, as they ensure our athletes are at their best. The A.T.s play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of student athletes. 

     Commitment plays a huge role in being an athletic trainer, they get to the games before the athletes and leave after everyone as well. Senior Brianna Willis is the head student athletic trainer. Planning to use the experience she gained to go into the medical field to become a nurse. She emphasized the dedication that goes into being an A.T.. 

     “The most difficult part of being an athletic trainer is how non-stop it is, its constant go go go, breaks are very little so you take advantage of them, it’s a whole lot of early mornings and late nights,” Willis said. 

     Being the first line of defense can put a lot of pressure on the trainers. Assessment of an athlete’s injury is the first step in their recovery journey. 

     “When an athlete has gone down during a game, as a head athletic trainer I would run out on the field along with A.T. Murrah and Sifuentes, I try to beat them there so I can calm the athlete down before they are evaluated, they might be in pain so I try to ask if they’re okay and if they can sit up, I give them water but everything happens so quickly,” Willis said.

     Being the first source of medical attention can be a lot of pressure, but the focus will always remain on the athlete. Senior Brianna Linstad who is in her fourth year of athletic training doesn’t focus on the pressure of being a trainer.

     “We don’t overthink it, like we’re always there, we’re here for them so it really just feels good knowing that we’re here to help if anything goes wrong,” Lindsstad said

     Game preparation is key to making sure that everything goes smoothly during the game. For things to go smoothly the trainers follow a specific procedure, list of things needed, make sure all equipment is accounted for, and prepare for any possible injuries, it’s not easy. The preparation for every sport is different. The head athletic trainer Domingo Sifuentes talks about the preparation for a football game. 

     “Prep day starts the day after a game, the first day we do treatments for injuries from the game, day two we start talking to coaches about who’s gonna be out, who’s probable, who’s doubtful and who’s out for sure. We keep the coaches updated throughout the week and the practices, the day before the game we come to a final decision on who’s ready or not,” Sifuentes said.

     Athletic training isn’t easy, it’s a whole lot of work divided between two people, Murrah and Sifuentes take time out of their days of teaching to put focus on the athletes. 

     “Keeping up with all the injuries, having to see over a thousand athletes between two people, myself and A.T Murrah, seeing about 70 to 80 people today some with common injuries some more serious, a doctor’s office doesn’t even see that many people a day,” Sifuentes said.

     The athletic trainers are the silent champions of our athletic program. Making sure all athletes are at their best every day. In addition to football, the A.T.s work to provide aid to all of the sports at our school. They represent commitment and dedication to all they do. Make sure to thank all your athletic trainers in March for National Athletic Trainer Month.