Final 2016-2017

Spring/Final2016-2017

Temperatures rise, daydreams of summer break infiltrate classrooms, our first 4-year class of Gauchos prepares for life after high school...Spring is definitely in the air & Summer beckons. As you toss out those papers and trash, take time for some mental spring cleaning, too. Reflect on how you've grown this past school year and envision the possibilities ahead of you. And remember, learning is a lifelong adventure, so just because you won't be in the hallways and classrooms, doesn't mean you should close the doors to your potential. Whether it's people-watching, cloud-interpreting (That one is definitely a panda riding a unicorn!), or hiking unmarked trails - learn from your experience and those around you. We can't wait to see who you've become by that first Gaucho bell in August!

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

SPORTS

N-A-T-I-O-N-A-L CHAMPIONS!

ECHS Cheer Squad Brings Home Gold

by Basketball Blonde

“When we won, it was such an amazing feeling. It was a true blessing!” That was senior varsity cheer captain, Briana Smith’s, pure joy she felt when the squad won the Nationals this year for El Capitan. They traveled to Anaheim and presented a truly amazing performance. When asked what the difference was between performing at a football or basketball game and performing at Nationals, she speaks about the huge crowd. She describes, “There are thousands of people at Nationals. It’s a huge stadium.” She smiles as she reminisces of the nerve-wracking experience. She says it’s all pitch-black, except for the mat that the team performs on, which has blinding lights directed at it, and it’s - literally - their chance to shine.
Smith has been in cheer for four years. She is the flyer for her team, which is a huge responsibility in every performance. Flyers are the cheerleaders spectators see getting lifted up in stunts. Briana explains, “ Our job is to put on a show for everybody. You have to sell it.” She says it’s a lot of pressure, but she’s always ready to handle it every time she takes front and center. At Nationals, she says her “baskets,” otherwise known as “basket tosses,” are what helped them stand out. Basket tosses are stunts that use three or more bases to toss a flyer in the air, something that helps how the judges perceive the team. For Nationals, she says, “ My basket went higher than some colleges. That was the highest basket I’ve ever done.” She knew they weren’t going to mess up, and they didn’t. The crowd went crazy after they finished.

The squad did extremely well, but there was a scare shortly after they finished their performance. Another team was allowed another chance to perform, due to technical difficulties with their music, something that Briana says “never happens.” Smith explains that they thought they “had it in the bag,” she says that that was the hardest challenge to overcome at Nationals, and the squad was heart-broken. It was a defining moment for their season, and they hoped that their performance would be enough. Fortunately, they were able to do better than that other team, even after the second time. When asked who their biggest competition was, she says, “Tahquitz High School [from the Los Angeles area]. They are the best of the best, and to beat the best, it means you’re the best!”
It’s been some weeks after our amazing cheer team took home the trophy, but what kind of reaction did they get from their community? Briana says, “Everyone’s very supportive and happy for us, especially since we’ve gotten second these last two years.” She goes on to say that the mayor even had a special meeting for them and El Capitan’s announcers were announcing it almost every morning for the whole week after. She beams, “They really went above and beyond!” The team reached the goal they had their eyes on for a long time, and it’s only an upward hill from there. For advice on people looking to join cheer or any sport at all, Briana suggests, “Always try your best. Don’t ever think you can’t do something.” She says to just be “you” and have confidence in yourself, and you’ll always be able to be the greatest you can be.

Coach Frank

& His CCC Champs

By: Basketball Blonde

It’s halftime during the freshman girl’s basketball game at Atwater High. The game has been close and Frank Solis’s team is ready. They’ve been playing at full speed the whole game, either trailing by two, or barely up by two. The last time the girls played against Atwater, it had been a loss on their home court, a devastating time for all the girls. That night, they were determined to make Atwater feel the same way. There stood Coach Frank, rallying the girls, scribbling defenses on his whiteboard, telling his team what it was going to take to get the win, but most of all, believing in them. When asked about his emotions during that game, he describes feeling nervous and excited. He says, “ More so excited, because I’ve never been in a tight game like that, as far as coaching for any sport.” The girls were just as excited as him, and as they put their hands in and chanted “GAUCHOS!” they felt the determination rise up inside them and were ready for whatever Atwater put in their path to victory.

Frank Solis is a paraprofessional with the Special Education Department, a football coach, and has just finished his first season as the freshman girl’s basketball coach here at El Cap. So, why did he decide to become a basketball coach this year? “I like basketball in general.” He goes on to explain that his brother has been a girl’s basketball coach for a while and played a huge part in talking him into signing up. Since then, he’s done incredible things for his team. Our freshman basketball team has had many ups and downs. Almost every game was close and exciting to watch. Coach Frank says that one of the hardest challenges for his team, besides the Atwater game, was the girl’s second game against Merced. He explains, “ I think we came into that game overconfident because we had beat them already. The girls were lackadaisical and not pushing enough.” He expanded, “To overcome that, it was rough. It was tough because that was a learning curve for me, to see if I could get them out of that slump and try harder, run harder, and overall play harder.” The girl’s ended up losing that game in overtime by a couple points. A wake-up call to help them finish the season strong.

Coaching is a huge part of the game, whether Frank accepts it or not. When asked how he felt about winning the CCC his first year coaching, he admits, “It feels good!” He goes on to say selflessly, that he didn’t have much to do with it and the girls should be prouder of the accomplishment than him. The thing is, even if you aren’t the one shooting the baskets or running the offense, a coach is an enormous part of not only the structure of your team, but also the emotional aspect of your players. Coach Frank believes one of the most important qualities in coaching is getting to know your players. He articulates, “ Figuring out who they are, how they joke around, and how they go about with their daily lives. By getting to know them, you see what type of person they are and can figure out how to coach them.” He says everyone needs to be coached differently because there are different qualities to every athlete. Frank feels he didn’t have any issues with his girls this season. As far as their work ethic, he beams, “ They had more drive than I’ve ever seen. I’ve coached a long time, mainly in male sports, but this was the first time that I actually had less complaints and more people working hard. Even when they were tired, they still worked and kept going.”

That atwater Match-Up was one of the hardest games the girls had to endure, even with all of the other close games they had played in the past. The buzzer had sounded for the fourth quarter, but it was a tie, which meant the inevitable dreaded overtime. It granted them a couple of minutes more to try to score. As the girls gathered in a circle and thought about what to do, it all clicked. They told each other that the outcome of this game didn’t matter because even if they didn’t take home the winning title, they still had each other. It was a defining moment for the team and as they walked onto that court for the final time, ready for whatever challenges faced their way, they knew in the end, there was still endless love and support to draw upon for a long time after the season was over.

Coach Frank admires his girls in lots of different ways. He smiles as he says, “I took pride in building chemistry and the bond that formed with the team and myself. As far as practice, everything was fun, even gametime was fun.” He wasn’t just an ordinary coach. He really took the time to let his athletes in on his life by telling stories of his past and connecting to them on a more personal level. The team felt close to their coach and because of that, they had the drive to improve. When asked how his players had grown from the beginning of the season to the end, he grins as he reminisces, “Man, they grew a lot! They got to know each other, as far as how they played. You can tell when you hear bickering later in the season.” He goes on to say that bickering is perfect for chemistry. The girls knew each other inside and out and expected a lot from one another in the end, and that’s what made them stronger, better teammates.

There were a few seconds left on the clock in overtime. Gauchos were up by one point and one of our girls had just fouled out from a miscall by one of the referees. Even though it didn’t seem to be fair, the opponent was getting two foul shots and the crowd was livid. The whole team waited patiently, praying that neither one of those would go in. Some looked away, but others couldn’t detach their eyes from the hoop. The rival missed the first shot and one of our posts was able to get the rebound off the second one and hold the ball for the remaining seconds. The girls flew into each other's arms as the buzzer sounded for a final time, and they felt in their hearts that they could accomplish anything they set their minds to.

Even though the season is over, there will always be work for the athletes. Coach Frank plans to make a lot of time for his girls and do some off-season training because it’s an important key to success. He says, “I am a big believer that the off-season is what gets the individual part of your game to click during the season.” As for the girls? They’re practicing and are excited for the new season next year. Although many may not know, this year they’ve truly succeeded. They won the Madera Tournament, took third in another, and ultimately are the champions for the Central California Conference. The future is bright for the basketball girls at El Capitan and we’re all ready to witness it, first-hand.

Practice Hard & Have Fun on the Court

By: Basketball Blonde

Boy’s volleyball is an ever-growing sport at El Capitan. Even though it barely became an official high school program a few years ago, it seems that the foundation is growing. And with a growing foundation, comes players that grow at the sport they love. Vincent Vang, a senior, second year varsity player, and team captain, feels optimistic about the future of boy’s volleyball. He says, “ I feel boy's volleyball is getting as much support as it should be getting because we are a new sport. Later down the years, I hope the sport starts to grow in support.” He thinks that the difference between girl’s and boy’s volleyball is mainly just the strength. “Girls do have more connection and community compared to guys.”

The team has been improving a lot throughout the season, defeating Atwater and Buhach Colony consistently. When asked about his team, Vang says, “I feel pretty good about this team. We have our ups and downs, but overall we know how to party.” Vincent plays middle blocker on the team, which he explains is the second most important position on the team. He describes his job as this: “You have to go up for every block and back up to hit [the ball] afterwards. You also have to get good at hitting both sides of the court.” But even with having to fulfill that part of the game, he has to be able to rally his team. When they get to frustrating points during match, Vang explains, “I try to bring them up by keeping a positive attitude. I try to keep the positive vibe on the team.”

Vincent loves playing volleyball at school, but his family is his main motivator in trying out and continuing the sport. When asked who influenced him to start playing, he says, “My cousin, Tristan. He influenced me by telling me he was better than me, but was willing to teach me.” He goes on to explain that they’ve become rivals ever since. He says that volleyball is his family's sport, and they love it. When Vang plays for fun, he says, “With family, we always laugh at our mistakes and joke around while playing a serious game. With friends, we try to keep a game going but also have fun at the same time.”

Even though volleyball at El Cap has been constantly growing, Vang is a senior and he may not be able to witness the action in future years. The good news is, he plans to stay local. He says, “I plan to go to a UC near to home because I have all of my family here in town and also because of the cost.” And for all you potential volleyball stars out there, Vincent has some sound advice: “Dear future volleyball players, practice hard and have fun on the court. When things start to fall apart, just relax and stay calm as a group. Communication is key. Remember do not look down on a player, play as a team. If you are new to the sport, I recommend trying volleyball because it is quick and easy to learn.”

The future of women's sports

By: Basketball Blonde

In 2015, the maximum salary a WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) player could earn was $109,500. The maximum for the men in the NBA (National Basketball Association) the same year was $16.407 million, which is about 150 times more than the highest for a woman in the WNBA. Since the early age of sports, women have received very little recognition. It’s been happening in college athletics and professionally, but also in high school. It’s not like we haven’t been progressing in recent years, but the progression is extremely slow. Toni Rodriguez is a junior on the women’s wrestling team here at El Cap, one of only two females on the total roster. It’s the first year that our wrestling has been separated into two different teams, one for girls and one for boys. When asked about having a female coach for the first time, she says it’s really helpful. Toni describes, “There were times where you break down and the guy coaches don’t know how to deal with it.” She says that the female coaches just know how to connect with her on an easier level, and it creates a stronger bond from athlete to coach.

Have you ever tried watching a WNBA game and an NBA game back to back? The physical ability is blatant. There is evidence that males and females differ biologically, but just because the girls

treated equally, but this is a new generation and there will always be room for change. Toni says that because she’s a girl, a lot of the boys take it easy on her, but it doesn’t take away the fact

that she makes a statement just by showing up. She describes, “I think me, just even being in the sport tells the boys, ‘Hey. I signed up for this!’” Women have been rising to fame recently in various sports such as Serena Williams in tennis, the Women’s Gymnastics Team in our last Olympics, and the United States Women’s Soccer Team. It’s only a matter of time before everyone decides to support women just as much as the men in all sports.

So, for anyone who’s looking to join wrestling, Toni advises, “It’s a tough sport, but it’s fun.” And to any girls out there looking to join a sport or anything you don’t think you would normally join, just do it! You won’t regret it and it may end up changing your life for the better! And finally, to all of you looking to support women’s sports in the future. Attend events, encourage girls to join sports, and push for the media to cover more on women and their sport. Without our support, women will never be recognized as they should be - and we all know they should be - just as much as the men.

may not be as strong as the boys doesn’t mean they should have to suffer in other ways. A huge part of these athletes’ appearance that almost anyone can notice is the obvious jersey difference of the players. A WNBA player’s jersey has promotions of companies plastered all over it, while the men do not have anything but their team’s name and player number. On top of that, men get new shoes, uniforms, and even shooting jerseys for literally every special occasion. The cause of this discrepancy? Money. Let’s face it, the majority of people will watch men’s games instead of women’s, resulting in less money and fame for women’s athletic programs. But it’s not just a matter of who’s more athletic. According to The Atlantic, “a lot of our perceptions of how interesting women’s sports are come from the media itself.” They say, “When you watch women’s sports, and there are fewer camera angles, fewer cuts to shot, fewer instant replays, yeah, it’s going to seem to be a slower game, [and] it’s going to seem to be less exciting.”

We’ve been programmed our whole lives to think that male sports are better because men are just stronger and faster. It’s a defect in our stereotypical world. A lot of our parents grew up watching men’s sports, which taught us to watch men’s sports. Rodriguez thinks for wrestling, “A lot of the girls don’t realize that, yeah it’s tough, but a lot of it is the girls not believing they can be strong enough.” Toni takes the genetics and uses them to her advantage. She often does matches against the boys and admires them. When asked who she looks up to in wrestling, she admits, “Definitely the boys! They’re a lot stronger than us, unfortunately. A lot of them have wrestled longer than the girls. They know a lot more.” She goes on to say that she watches Devin Holman and Alexander Caudillo and tries to watch what they do to learn more about her sport.

When the Association of Surfing Professionals was acquired in 2012, now known as the World Surf League, the new ownership made it a policy that the men’s and women’s Championship Tour events have equal prize money, according to the Washington Post. It’s true that women’s sports haven’t always necessarily been

LifeStyle

Lifestyle

DIY Summer

Have you ever felt like the sun was too much? Like you’d rather stay indoors instead of soaking up vitamin D? Well, we can definitely help with that! We’ve come along some very interesting and fun projects you can do with around your house! Here’s some...

1

Feeling bored around the house, but have nothing to do? Well, you can make some fun colored slime!

Here are the materials my dudes:

Once you have the two separate mixtures, add the borax to the glue mixture. We tried this ourselves and got the following results!

*IMPORTANT Side note: At first the mixture is very liquidy. Once you begin to form a blob of some sort, take it out of the mixture and knead out the liquid. Bam! You’ve got some rad slime!

2

Now that you’ve made some awesome slime, you need a refresher, right? Why not make a raspberry lemonade slushie! It’s simple and especially tasty! (Source)

You will need:

2 Cups of fresh Raspberries (frozen)
Juice of 2 lemons
½ cup of sugar
2 cup ice cubes

All you need to do now is get all of the ingredients in a blender and mix well! To be a little more snazzy, you can use cool straws or hang a slice a lemon on the side of your glass.

3

Lastly, another thing you can do is make a pool. That’s right, a fully functioning pool! Now, I know some people have used their own trash cans when attempting to create their own pool, but that’s just not the way to do it. You see, me and my good friend got together one day and brainstormed ways to create our own pool and this is what we came up with.

First, we asked my mom if she could get a box from her work. This worked out, but not in the way we expected. She brought us a terribly small box in which we would barely fit our legs into.

We then bought a tarp, so that the box wouldn’t cave, and we had the brilliant idea of actually utilizing stuffed animals to take place of us in the pool.

They sure look like they’re having a great time! We took the stuffed animal and my pet rock out, and found out that the stuffed animal was leaking, so we threw it on the floor to sunbathe.

Bam! That’s all the inspiration we needed to create a modeling shoot for Bearly Chubs. He got into a lot of mischief, even attempting to drive my mom’s car!

This leads us to the coolest idea you could ever replicate this summer: a live action movie trailer for your beloved stuffed animals. (It's especially cool when created in a nicely air-conditioned room.)

Here’s ours. And if you happen to make one yourself, feel free to email it to ellegacypub@muhsd.org. You could be featured in a future edition of the Gaucho Gazette!

no, SERIOUSLY, It's the law

What kind of crime is committed when a bird is attacked? A featheral offense.

Sometimes laws seem incredibly unorthodox, and it’s a wonder how they came to be. But the law is the law, right? So, before you plan your summer adventures, take a look at these crazy laws and see for yourself. And don't say we didn't warn you!

Compiled & Commentated By: Lame Lee & The One Eyed Ogre

Arkansas: Mispronouncing the state name is strictly forbidden. You must be thankful for speech therapy now huh?
Arizona: Donkeys are not allowed to sleep in bathtubs. No wonder Eyeore is so depressed.

Connecticut: The only way a pickle is a pickle is if it bounces. So before you eat your next pickle throw it on the floor first to see if it bounces back. Remember the five second rule is always in play.
Delaware: People are forbidden to sell the hair of a dog. Guess you can’t make a profit off all those hairs that get stuck to your couch.
Georgia: You can’t keep an ice cream cone in your back pocket on Sundays. Saving people from crushing ice cream cones is always the kind thing to do.

For all of you math fans out there this one is interesting: In Indiana the value of Pi is simply 3!
Maine: It is illegal for Christmas decorations to still be up after January 14th. Which honestly should be enforced everywhere!

Massachusetts: You can’t own an explosive golf ball. There go my weekend plans.
In Virginia it is illegal to tickle women. Sorry boys. . . and tickle monsters.
California
- In LA it is illegal to throw a frisbee without the permission of a lifeguard.
- In Norco you have to get a $100 permit to keep rhinos. Which really isn’t too bad to own part of the savanna.
- In Dana Point you cannot use your bathroom if the window is open. They want you to be trapped with all the deadly fumes.
- No vehicle may exceed 60 mph if there is’t a driver. Yup, it’s official, the afterlife will truly be boring.