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O’Hayon transfers for football
SPORTS
SUMMER 2005 THE LIGHTNING STRIKE PAGE FIFTEEN
FOOTBALL
By EVAN BERGMANN
Staff Writer
With an NFL Flag Football
World Championship title under
his belt, sophomore varsity
quarterback Steven O’Hayon
moved here from Hillel to play
tackle football.
“There were many factors
in my decision to come here,”
O’Hayon said. “Krop has hard
competition, and I know I am
going to have to be at the top of
SWIMMING
Team aims
to keep
tradition
By NINA BARRACLOUGH
and LOGAN JAFFE
News & Spread Editors
Swim and water polo coach
Ann Gordon and assistant coach
Jason Meyers hope to meet their
four district titles again this year.
However, both coaches claim it
will take a dedicated effort from
the team and themselves.
Gordon, with 17 years of
experience, demands practice from
fi ve to six days a week, lasting two
to three hours. As many of her
swimmers and water polo players
participate in separate clubs, “they
can handle it,” she said.
“It is very diffi cult to be really
great at anything that you do
only two to three months a year,”
Gordon said. “It takes a much
greater commitment to succeed
at the level [to which] we have
grown accustomed.”
Along with vigorous practices,
teamwork is a key aspect of
success. Before meets and games,
the teams eat a “carb-loading,
psychologically stimulating dinner.”
This provides for intense
energy, as the teams’ preparation
physically and mentally is more
focused. This bond outside of
practice results in not only a winning
attitude, but genuine support
for each other.
As a coach, Gordon tries to keep
practices “fun and interesting.”
Though the athletes, she knows,
work very hard, she teaches that
“with hard work come rewards.”
These rewards are not always
material, but “a good feeling about
yourself.”
Respect is also a major factor
in coaching. Teaching the sport
itself falls short of a coach’s duties,
Gordon believes. An athlete must
respect “one’s self, one’s teammates,
one’s opponents, and one’s coaches.”
“We are coaches, disciplinarians,
instructors, mentors and friends. I am
always there for the athlete and they
know it,” she said. “But I think what
makes me a good coach is that I
love what I do and it is easy to be
good at something you love.”
my game everyday.”
Knowing the coaches was
another critical part of O’
Hayon’s decision. O’ Hayon
also has former fl ag football
teammates and knows many
of the other players as well.
“Knowing many players will
make coming here a comfortable
situation for me. Also, they can
help me learn the game faster,”
he said.
O’Hayon, who primarily
played fl ag football at Hillel,
GOLF
has previously experienced the
game of tackle football before he
stepped on to the Krop practice
fi eld. He played for the Cooper
City Optimist team.
“Playing in the optimist
league was an important
experience to help me understand
the tackle football game. It
gave me a sense of how fast and
different the game was from fl ag
football,” he said.
O’Hayon has set his goals
high. “I want to succeed in being
Science teacher
Montero takes
over golf team
By MALKA ABRAMOFF
Staff Writer
Science teacher and exprofessional
golf player,
Carlos Montero will take
control of the golf team,
replacing Mr. Dreyfuss
who retired as the previous
head coach.
Although he has never
c o a c h e d
g o l f ,
M o n t e r o
hopes “to
o v e r c o m e
t h i s
w e a k n e s s
with [his] MONTERO
knowledge
for the
sport.” He is passionate
about the game because
it “tests your clarity of
mind.” Moreover, he feels
that golf sets standards
for perfection. “If you
work hard enough, you
can achieve that,” said
Montero.
Although returning
golf player Shane Hodson
already has confidence
in the new instructor, he
knows “mistakes will be
made.”
Montero knows what it
takes to win. “I’m expecting
them to work to their best
ability and be passionate
about the game,” Montero
said.
The coach isn’t the only
change for the sport; there
will also be a girls’ team.
“Last year we didn’t have
that many participants for
the sport; however this
year, we have a group of
committed and enthusiastic
young ladies ready to hit
the [course]” explained
Montero.
Montero hopes to
share what he feels are the
“Last year we
didn’t have that
many [female]
participants for the
sport; however this
year, we have a
group of committed
and enthusiastic
young ladies ready
to hit the [course].”
Coach Carlos Montero
“wonders” of the game. But
in order to do so, he believes
that “it’s very important that
a golfer obtains patience
and assiduousness, meaning
working constantly.”
the best leader, teammate and
player I can be to help my team
the most, but I have a lot of work
to do before I can get anywhere
near the level I want to beat.”
O’Hayon’s strong work ethic
will prepare him for the long
season ahead. “With the way he
works, I can’t wait to see how
good he’s going to be,” junior
teammate Ben Heller said.
Changing Positions
Who’s out? Who’s in?
Athletic Director:
Baseball:
Golf:
Volleyball:
OUT IN
ARAGO
DREYFUSS
TORANO
Softball:
STEVEN O’HAYON
PHOTO BY DALIA SABBAGH
RODRIGUEZ
SCHIFFMAN
NELSON
LARSON
MONTERO
SCHIFFMAN
LATESSA