December 2012 - Spartanburg County School District One

Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High
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Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High Chapman High School Chapman High School Chapman High
Chapman athletes do not let traditional gender roles stand
in the way of excellence
by Austin Graham
Earning respect in athletics is hard.
It’s even harder when you are different
than everyone around you.
Some athletes and coaches at
Chapman are involved in sports that
are not considered the “right” sport by
stereotypes.
Terra Brannon is one of the wrestling
coaches at Chapman. Although she has
years of experience, she still feels as
though she has trouble gaining respect.
“I’ve been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
for a few years now, which is similar to
wrestling,” Brannon said. “It’s a style
of ground fighting or grappling, but
sometimes I don’t feel like I get the same
respect.”
Brannon feels as if she has to prove
herself to the male wrestlers.
“Sometimes I feel like I have to prove
myself to gain respect where as if you’re
an average male and you walk into the
wrestling room you won’t have to prove
yourself,” Brannon said.
Senior wrestler Chardenai Vang also
feels this way.
“I get underestimated a lot. Some
people doubt me,” Vang said.
Although underestimation happens,
Brannon does not believe that it’s a big
deal that she coaches wrestling or that
women wrestle at all.
“With my Jiu Jitsu team, it’s more
common for women to train Jiu Jitsu
and MMA. Being a woman in there isn’t
a big deal, I’m just part of the team.
With high school wrestling it’s not that
popular, so it seems like they have a hard
time accepting me since it is so male
dominated,” Brannon said.
Brannon has noticed people around her
taking an interest in what she does.
“The biggest response I get is when
I say I am a wrestling coach they say
‘really?’ as if they are in disbelief. When
I explain things to them they seem really
interested,” Brannon said.
Vang has also noticed a positive
reaction to what she does.
“I get mad respect for what I do. People
who know me respect me.” Vang said.
Wrestling
is not the
only sport
at Chapman
with an
athlete in
the “wrong”
sport.
The
Chapman
Cheerleading
team also
includes
Senior Nick
Easler.
“I joined
the team
because
I talked
to Mrs.
Gramling, and I really wanted to get a
scholarship,” Easler said.
Although Easler has faced challenges,
he has gotten a positive reaction from
people around him.
“Most people I talk to think it’s pretty
cool that I cheerlead,” Easler said.
Photo courtesy of Panaroma Staff
Senior cheerleader Nick Easler prepares to entertain the crowd during a 2012
football game. Easler is the only male cheerleader but not the only Chapman
athlete who has broken the gender barrier.
Easler has also noticed differences
between this sport and other sports.
“The biggest difference is being around
a bunch of girls,” Easler said “Sometimes
it’s okay, but sometimes I just want to pull
my hair out.”
Off-season training an essential part of athletic success
by Austin Graham & Vitaley Rantsevich
Being fit and active is important for
many things, particularly sports. In
athletic events it is important that athletes
can push themselves to their very limits.
Each yard that they gain, each point
they score, each goal they make is crucial.
Coaches and athletes spend an entire off
season working so that they can maximize
their success.
Because coaches cannot practice with
their athletes all year, they expect their
players to take some responsibility for offseason
training. This way, athletes are not
inactive for nine months while their sport
is in the off season.
Despite the coaches’ desires to have
their athletes in prime physical condition,
there are limitations imposed by the South
Carolina High School League.
Every coach is given a three-week
period of working with athletes and doing
many things available in regular training.
After those weeks, the coaches have to
be hands off.
Tennis coach Alex Hollis said that
he would prefer having more time with
the players but hopes that they will take
personal responsibility.
“I would like it if tennis trained on their
own and together,” he said.
Junior tennis player Clay Smith also
knows the importance of this off season
training.
Pull a half! Chapman wrestlers
seek domination
“I do intense ball hitting all day every
day,” Smith said, “It makes me a better
player.”
Head boys soccer coach Will Maley
said that he would like to have his players
work on skill in the off season, even if he
is not the one who is there to coach them
individually.
“Players should play club soccer or at
least pick-up games, as well as work on
their skill work and conditioning,” Maley
said.
The idea of playing for school or nonschool
teams during the off season is
similar to what baseball players do.
“Players will do speed training and
pitchers do a bull pen,” Coach Steve
Fusaro said.
“I practice through the spring, summer,
and fall,” junior baseball player J.W.
Emory said “November workouts and
weight lifting help out a lot.”
Because off-season training is not
mandatory, those who go to practice, show
dedication, passion, commitment and are
more likely to make the team unlike those
who rarely go or do not go at all.
Even when Emory is not with the
School, he still realizes that he needs to
practice to become a better ball player.
“I usually get a friend and go long toss
or hit in the cage,” Emory said, “It makes
me better at baseball and a better athlete
all round.
Recent Champman accomplishments
* Girls golf reached the state championship
* All-State Chorus members who made it to All-
State Sight-Singing: Luke Holden, John Small,
Aaron Owenby
* Cross country runner Jacob Grigg made it to the
state meet
* The volleyball team was region champions and
made it to the second round of the state playoffs
Errors & Corrections
In issue 1 of The Prowl, Chavious Hill was listed as
a junior. He is a senior.
Photo by Ashley Brannon of Panaroma
Junior Klint Tucker tries to run a half on his opponent during a match at a tournament
at Powdersville High School on Dec. 8.
The Panthers won first place at the tournament, although head coach Leo Sawyer
said there is work to be done.
“(The team is) doing okay, but we still have a lot of work to do,” he said.
In issue 1 of The Prowl, Caleb Mayfield was listed
as a senior. He is a junior.
In issue 2 of The Prowl, the story “Is cheerleading
really a sport? Coach and her cheerleaders say,
‘Yes!’” was printed without a byline. The story was
written by Austin Graham.