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High school sports have been gaining in popularity in the past few years. As more and more students are participating in high school sports controversy strikes about the benefits of sports in school. Many parents are worried that its taking school and homework time away from their kids. While others think that it helps the kids learn many valuable skills that they will be using throughout their lives. The students also think it is benefitting them in the long run. The facts are that roughly only 16 percent of high school sports participating students will go on to play professionally. However, 92 percent of adults that played sports when they were younger said it helped them learn valuable life lessons like patience and forgiveness.

By: Gage Halford

Basketball first began in the year 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts by a Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith. He created it to be a less-injury prone sport than football and to help condition and train young track athletes during the colder months. Basketball grew very popular as the twentieth century progressed. Basketball started out with peach baskets and soccer-style balls. Naismith made thirteen rules for the game. The objective of the game was to throw the basketball into the fruit baskets. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed. The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892.

As basketball got more popular in the United States, universities would bring the game in for their students. The first recorded basketball game at a college was played on February 9, 1895. Hamline University played against the University of Minnesota. Minnesota won 9 to 3. In 1939, another national tournament was implemented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association or also known as the NCAA. The location of the NCAA Tournament varied from year to year, and it soon used multiple locations each year. Today The NCAA Tournament is very popular and is watched all throughout the United States.

The Nation Basketball Association or the NBA was founded in New York City in June of 1946. As of the early 21st century, the NBA is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The league emphasized excitement and liveliness. The NBA has helped popularize basketball all over the world. A large part of this is due to the transcendent stars that have played the game through the years. It was because of the play of Michael Jordan that basketball started to reach international audiences. Now today basketball is one of the most popular sports in the United States.

By: Emma Nelson

If you’ve ever been to a football or basketball game you’ve seen that big group of girls and boys throwing each other in the air and yelling at the top of their lungs on the sidelines. They are kind of hard to miss. But, do you ever think about who even came up with this weird idea?

 

Cheerleading roots are closely tied to American football’s. The first game was played in 1869 between Princeton University and Rutgers University in New Jersey. And, by the 1880’s Princeton had formed an all-male pep club. A graduate of Princeton, Thomas Peebles, took the Princeton cheers to the University of Minnesota where football and fight songs were becoming very popular. Cheerleading grew from there.

 

Before 1923, cheerleading was predominantly a male sport just like many others during that time. When women were finally taken onto the teams, they began to add tumbling and different acrobatics to their routines. A cheerleader from the University of Oregon also started using flashcards for the first time. Although women were joining the teams in the 20’s, it wasn’t until the 40’s that they began to join in very large numbers since so many college-aged men went to fight in World War II.

 

By the 1960’s cheerleading could be found in virtually any high school and grade school across the country. The 80’s decade brought the launch of many more event companies as well as AACCA (American Association of Cheerleading Coaches Administrators). All-star cheerleading also began in the 80’s and grew rapidly throughout the 90’s. All-star cheerleading focused on athletic training and competition performances, as opposed to sideline (or school-based) cheerleading. Today, many companies focus primarily on All-Star cheerleading.

 

The original purpose of cheerleading is still relevant in today’s world, even with the increasing popularity of competition. Cheerleaders are to promote their schools and communities. They are a key to marketing tools in athletic programs and their support. Most importantly, they are tomorrow’s leaders through the development and athletic skills taught to them.

By: Rayven Nealey

This year in baseball we are approaching the world series which will take place between October 23 – 31 2018. We have excitedly watched the playoffs happening and currently are watching to see who from the American League and National League will play for the world series.

Last year was a disappointing turnout for the LA Dodgers losing in the seventh game to the Astros. As for me being a Dodgers fan and excitedly watching the season play out it was not a happy ending, but we have high hopes to win one more game than last year in the world series. In baseball you have to win four of the seven games played to be the world champion. The Dodgers tied with the Astros last year up until the seventh game, where the Astros became the world champions of 2017. But it’s a new season and with the championship in the horizon we Dodgers fans are watching to see if our team will have a chance this season to win one more game than we did last year.

This season ended in a very unique way for two teams in different divisions, they tied at the end of the regular season, forcing 163. The winner of game 163 would win their division, and the loser would go on to play in a wild-card game. The outcome was good for the Dodgers, they beat the Rockies winning their division.

The Dodgers, now in the NLDS (National League Division Series) are up two games to zero having only to win three to move on into the National League Championship Series. As I am writing this, the Dodgers are tied with the Braves five -five. If the baseball gods are smiling favorably among my Dodgers, we will be moving to the next round, the NLCS.

By: Kayliegh Williams

Football happens to be one of the most popular, if not the most popular, sport in the world. The  fan base is very different like race, language, age, and gender. As a result, it can truly be called as the universal sport. Football continues to grow in popularity with many countries, where the likes of rugby or cricket have dominated, starting to adopt football as their primary sport. Here are the top reasons why football continues to be extremely popular. Football is played all around the world not a lot of sports are. A lot of people can just get together on the street and play. It is watched all over on TV and on the internet or even on the radio.People like seeing a bunch of people battle it out for just a point at a time it makes it even more intense. There is twenty two people on the field at once and just one ball. They play 90 minutes and see who wins. Lots of people bet on games that makes it more exciting. People have not just thought of this sport as just a sport they have thought of it as a culture or a lifestyle. I know when I talk to any foreigners from anywhere but america they all know about football or they flat out love it. It’s not hard to just play cause a lot of poor countries play this game and they don’t have the best places to play it so anywhere really does for a game of football. Lots of countries have formed rivalries against each other and that has just made the sport even better then what is was before the hatred between the two countries is what keeps the game alive in a way. I personally like the sport a lot.

By: Brandon Lewis

It has almost been three months since Lebron James has signed over with the Lakers and left Cleveland. Three months that was more than enough time for the N.B.A fans and the media to prepare for this and for what is gonna happen and be said.

It seemed a little odd for him to be at the teams training facility all dressed up in purple-gold jersey wearing the number 23 assembled by a huge variety of reporters as being apart of his new team. It was a good thing though it gave him a chance to have a little bit of fun and further explain why he left Cleveland for the second time and joining the team he is with now that rumors that had been going around saying he had been already very attached to and wanting to play with them.

As he began to approach the table he the  sat there for a good 15 minutes all relaxed and settled in, then questions came in about the times he has brought his teams from the east in the finals 8 times and now that he is in the west what will his expectations be. He then replied with how he wants to and strives to get better every single day and then added that what he knows that he can bring to the table is being committed with full potential and excellence every single day from a mind-set standpoint.

He was asked if he came over to the Lakers because he wanted to mix sports with Los Angeles

He went on by saying it was just based on him his family and the Lakers that is it and that because he is a ball player and that is what he does cause of the level he plays it at.

By: Joshua Powell

Many people don’t think that golf is a sport, but it takes hard work, practice, and patience. You have to train hard for tournaments and to play a good game just like you do with football, soccer, or other popular sports. It takes long hours on the course to become good, and just like any other sport, every game is different and so is every course.

A lot of people believe golf is just a hobby for old people to enjoy, but any age or gender can enjoy it. I, personally, know an eight and a seventy year old who loves to golf. I know people in high school who take golf very seriously and compete. They play for high school teams and can continue on college teams. Golf knows no age limit. You can get scholarships to colleges by participating on golf teams and practicing frequently. Many people from my high school golf team have gotten scholarships and are now playing competitively for a college team.

Golf is a game of precision and focus. If one thing throws off your focus while taking a swing at the ball your whole game could be off. I have been taught to never talk when someone is taking their shot or if you do, keep it to a whisper. I get that golf can be very boring and I honestly have a hard time playing nine holes and don’t even get me started on playing eighteen. I get bored and I understand that it’s not for everyone, but for my family golf is what we do on weekends. It brings my family together just like football does for some families. Many families get pumped for the Super Bowl, mine included, but my family also gets excited about the PGA Tour. My grandparents, cousins, uncles, parents, and siblings all golf, and it brings my family together and creates bonds that wouldn’t be created otherwise. It may not be a contact sport, but it is a sport.

By: Reagin Webster

Football, it is named to be America’s number one sport. People all around the world travel to these stadiums to watch two teams go against each other and score more points to win. People even bet tons of money on which teams gonna win and some people lose a lot. Now what is it about football that gets people to be so into it?

It’s the same reason people watch golf or tennis and any other sports, it’s because they’re passionate about it. It’s the drama, the suspense of not knowing what is gonna happen next. The teams can be two points a away and win or be behind by twenty points and make a huge comeback that no one would of expected. When your own personal favorite team wins it gives you a high that can carry on throughout your week. Not like a drug high but an emotional enlightening high. There are thirty-two pro football teams in America and everyone that enjoys football has a favorite that they lots of times, place bets on some small some big. Over 100 million people watch the Superbowl and that just goes to show you how many people actually love football. There is 325.7 million people in america so that means almost a third of america’s population watch the Superbowl. It is insane how many people watch the same thing at the same time. But in the recent years the amount of people that watch football have decreased a lot. Why has it been decreasing? Well like I said football is america’s sport and some football players have started to kneel during the national anthem disgracing the flag and the country. This is a major red flag and lots of the people who watched football don’t anymore because they cant get themselves to watch people disgrace their beloved country. The ratings since 2015 have dropped around fifteen percent which is a lot of people. Is football gonna fade and lose its place as america’s favorite sport?

By: Dalton Barney

One week before the start of falls semester at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming, the two time Big Sky Team Roping Champion, Tom Williams, decides to transfer to Montana State University. “I was planning to go back to Northwest this fall to finish my associate degree, but things didn’t work out” Tom said. “I wanted to switch partners and rope with Jack Arnold. When I told my coach this he didn’t take it well and told me to call Andy Bolich, the rodeo coach at MSU and see if he would take me. I did and here I am.” Jack is also currently enrolled at Montana State too.

For the past two years Tom has partnered up with Dan Barsalay. They have won the championship in the Big Sky Region both years and were the favorites to repeat again this year. “Dan and I have grown up together in high school rodeo in Idaho. I really like Dan and I think he’s a great roper but roping isn’t his #1 priority. He excels in steer wrestling and that is where he puts his main efforts. After the college finals this past June, we didn’t enter the team roping together once this summer. That’s the main reason I wanted to switch partners. I want someone whose main passion is team roping. This may sound arrogant but I have bigger goals than just winning the region. ”

Time will tell whether this was a good decision for Tom. As of press time Dan had switched ends in the team roping and was heeling for Caleb Jones. They were currently in the number 1 position heading into the final fall rodeo this weekend in Dillon, MT. Williams and Arnold are currently in the #4 spot but within striking distance of catching the top team this weekend.

By: Shelby Williams