NT_011719

More documents

Recommendations

Info

30 | January 17, 2019 | The Northbrook tower Sports northbrooktower.com Klein ready to make mark at nationals Michal Dwojak, Sports Editor Joe Klein didn’t stumble when he faced adversity. Instead, he turned a difficult moment into a saying that’s helped the Northbrook Junior High School eighth-grader return to ice skating nationals for the third straight year. The fall came when he appeared in his second regional competition and started his skate in what seemed like would turn out to be a clean skate, until it didn’t. Klein fell on his face later in the skate and went back to his coach Agata Czyzewski, who had said something that would become a phrase between the two. “It was good, until it wasn’t.” NORTH SHORE That phrase has helped keep Klein focused no matter what he faces during a practice or a competition, which helped him return to the national skating level when he skates at the 2019 United States Figure Skating Nationals that will be held in Detroit from Saturday, Jan. 19, to Jan. 27. It’s etched onto Czyzewski’s coffee mug, reminding the two of what they try to achieve with every competition. His trip to Detroit might not be his first to a major competition, but that doesn’t take away from the thrill of competing in front of thousands of people and the country’s best. “It’s really fun to go to all the competitions and A 22ND CE<strong>NT</strong>URY MEDIA PRODUCTION it gives me a lot of confidence that I’m able to keep improving on myself and able to keep taking all of these great opportunities,” Klein said. “It’s a lot of fun.” The fun began when he and his brother started skating because their older sister already skated. His brother quit after a year, but Klein continued to skate, even after his mother asked him if he wanted to switch over to hockey. Klein resisted, loving the thrill of performing and the different elements that came along with it. But the thrill doesn’t come without a cost. The eighth-grader probably works a longer day than most adults. Klein skates EXCLUSIVE ANALYSIS AND I<strong>NT</strong>ERVIEWS about your favorite high school teams. Sports editors Michal Dwojak and Michael Wojtychiw host the only North Shore sports podcast. FIND THE VARSITY: NORTH SHORE ON SOUNDCLOUD, ITUNES OR NORTHBROOKTOWER.COM/SPORTS three times a day during six days of the week, skating twice the other day of the week. During the week, he wakes up early in the morning for his first practice before he goes to school. He takes a break in school in the middle of the day to go to another practice before he comes back to school. Then Klein finishes his day with another practice. The juggling act can be hard to balance at times, but Klein doesn’t try to escape from skating. When he gets too stressed with everything going on, he watches YouTube videos of figure skating to continue to grow. “It’s extremely impressive,” Czyzewski said. “A lot of boys have spurts of going really well and not so well. It’s hard to juggle school too. A lot of boys are home schooled and he has a pretty much normal schedule. So for him to do morning practice, then late-morning practice then afternoon practice, staying focused after all of that is really impressive.” His road to repeat trips to nationals didn’t come without obstacles, though. Klein came off a year where he missed a month to a concussion and missed time to a broken finger and a hurt back. In September, he competed in the U.S. Challenge Skate in Salt Lake City where he committed minutes before a clean performance on the ice. Klein will be competing at the novice men level of the national competition after he placed first at USFS Upper Great Lakes regional championships and third at the Midwestern sectionals. This is his first year Northbrook resident Joe Klein will compete at the 2019 United States Figure Skating Nationals that will be held in Detroit from Saturday, Jan. 19, to Jan. 27. Photos submitted skating novice, though his third time at nationals — he competed at intermediate in 2018 and at juvenile in 2017. The bright lights don’t scare Klein. “I’m a very competitive person, so being able to be at these high-level competitions is very exhilarating for me,” he said. “I love the feeling of flying when I jump. It’s the best feeling I ever had.” Both Klein and Czyzewski are hoping for a clean skate. That’s been the thinking they’ve had since they started working together six years ago: as long as Klein does the best he can, there will be no regret after. The pair have been preparing the past few months for his moment in Detroit, now it’s just time to skate. “Nationals is always different because this is what you’ve worked for all year Klein and coach Agata Czyzewski will look forward for a clean skate at nationals. long, throwing more stuff in, trying to see what works best,” Klein said. As long as that phrase is in the back of his mind, he’ll be alright.
northbrooktower.com sports the northbrook tower | January 17, 2019 | 31 Cheerleading Spartans compete at CSL championships 22nd century media file photo 1st-and-3 athletes of the week 1. Jared Kuper (Above) The Spartans senior boys bowler won his second straight individual regional championship, helping GBN win another regional. 2. Joe Klein The Northbrook Junior High School eighth-grader heads to his third straight figure skating nationals competition after a successful run at regionals and sectionals. 3. GBN athletic community The Spartan community came together to honor a legend in the first Mark Rebora Spartan Challenge. Gary Larsen Freelance Reporter Glenbrook North coach Greg Wilhelm figured his team might have to shake off some rust heading into this year’s Central Suburban League championship. “We had really good energy but it was our first time coming back since winter break, so it was a little bit rough,” Wilhelm said. “Our energy was high and our warmup was excellent but when we got out on the mat, you could see the cobwebs. The sharpness wasn’t quite there and we didn’t hit as many stunts as we’d like. “But this was a good, eye-opening experience for us. It’s a good wakeup call.” GBN competed at Vernon Hills on Thursday, Jan. 10, where Vernon Hills won the conference crown and Maine South placed second. Spartans senior Jeniah Griggs was disappointed in her team’s finish outside the top three but she’s happy with where North is positioned with the postseason looming. “We’ve definitely come a long way this year,” Griggs said. “Stunts-wise, we kind of struggled out there today but overall, we’ve been pretty good at hitting our stuff this year.” Senior Manny Ruiz has been on New Trier’s cheerleading team since his freshman year, so he has had a front-row seat to watch the program rise under head coach Kelsey O’Kane. “It’s a completely different program now,” Ruiz said. “Our coaches have transformed the program, we’ve worked our butts off, and this year has been incredible.” The Trevians’ energy, stunts and tumbles showed well — New Trier placed third in the large varsity category at the meet. “They have worked so incredibly hard this season, I could cry talking about it,” O’Kane said of her Trevians. “We beat Maine South at the Buffalo Grove invite (on Jan. 6) and we’ve beaten Glenbrook South, so we came in here with high hopes. We nailed our routine and it was everything we could have asked for.” O’Kane took over the program two years ago and is aiming to guide it towards even bigger and better things ahead. “Cheerleading hasn’t had a huge following in the Winnetka-north shore area,” O’Kane said. “But we’re turning things around. They’re buying in and I definitely see this program growing.” “We have a group of The Glenbrook North cheerleading team poses during the Central Suburban League championships on Thursday, Jan. 10, in Vernon Hills. Gary Larsen/22nd Century Media kids that don’t really have a cheerleading background so to see this much growth so quickly speaks to the dedication and commitment that they have.” New Trier competes in a 50-team meet at Fremd on Saturday, Jan. 19, before Illinois sectional meets begin on Jan. 26. The Trevians learned at Vernon Hills that any given team on any given day can rise to the occasion. “You never know because one day a team can be horrible and the next day it can be the best,” Ruiz said. “All you can do is do your part and have fun, because this whole thing is about fun. This is amazing. For more photos, please visit Northbrook Tower.com. I’m so proud of us.” While Glenbrook South failed to place among the top three teams at this year’s Central Suburban League championships, the Titans left the gym at Vernon Hills with their heads held high. “The kids did well today,” coach Jasmine Phillips said. “I liked their effort and they put on a great show today. Besides their skills, they’ve really pulled together as a team this year.” South senior Taylor Berek agreed that team unity hit a new high this season. “We spend so much time together,” Berek said. “You can tell how much closer we’ve all gotten and I honestly feel like I’m good friends with everyone on the team.” Berek was also happy with her team’s performance at Vernon Hills. “I thought we went in with a positive attitude and during the routine, I could feel the energy was up,” she said. “So we’re obviously disappointed that we didn’t place. I think we all really believed we had a chance to place but that’s just not how the numbers turned out.” Listen Up “It’s extremely impressive.” Agata Czyzewski — Joe Klein’s coach on how impressive it is for the eighth-grader to balance skating and school all at the same time. tunE in What to watch next week The Glenbrook North wrestling team competes at the conference meet on Saturday, Jan. 19. • 7 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 19, at New Trier Index 28 - Boys Bowling 27 - Athlete of the Week Fastbreak is compiled by The Tower’s staff. Send comments to m.dwojak@22ndcenturymedia.com.
Page 1 and 2: ® The Northbrook Tower Northbrook
Page 3 and 4: northbrooktower.com news the northb
Page 5 and 6: northbrooktower.com northbrook the
Page 9 and 10: northbrooktower.com news the northb
Page 17 and 18: northbrooktower.com sound off the n
Page 19 and 20: the Northbrook Tower | January 17,
Page 21 and 22: northbrooktower.com life & Arts the
Page 23 and 24: northbrooktower.com life & Arts the
Page 25 and 26: northbrooktower.com Classifieds the
Page 27 and 28: northbrooktower.com Sports the nort
Page 29: northbrooktower.com Sports the nort

NT_011719

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?