By: Cody Zivley

Glen Crawford has been a part of the Leander High school baseball team for four years, contributing leadership and a great desire to win.

Now in his senior year he has many plans for his future, but what about his baseball career?

Q:  For how long have you been playing baseball?

A:  Around thirteen years.

Q:  Who do you consider to be your biggest supporter?

A:  Both my parents and my little brother have supported me the most.

Q:  Do you plan on continuing your baseball career after high school?

A:  Yeah, either at Concordia or Texas State.

Q:  What quality do you believe you contribute to the team?

A:  Leadership

Q:  Do you play club baseball?

A:  Yeah, for a team called the “Austin Slam”.

Q:  Who are you most thankful to your being here right now?

A:  My mom and dad.

Q:  Why?

A:  They pushed me to do my best and work hard.

Michael Reed has played baseball for the Leander Varsity Baseball team for three years, demonstrating a great desire of success on and off the field; he has led the LHS Baseball team through many victories, and has proven himself to be a great player not only on the baseball diamond but in life as well.

Q: How long have you been playing baseball?

A: For about thirteen years now.

Q: How long have you been playing for the schools team?

A: Three years and I lettered as a freshmen.

Q: Who motivated you the most to succeed at baseball?

A: Myself and my dad.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the sport?

A: Hitting, because it’s the most fun.

Q: Do you watch professional baseball?

A: Yes

Q: What is your favorite team?

A: The Astros

Q: Do you intend on continuing your baseball career after high school?

A: Yes, and I I’m going to try and go pro.

Will Frolick has been a part of the Leander family and the Lion varsity soccer for two years. Now in his senior year and under the supervision of a new coach, he has led the Lions varsity team through many victories.

Q: Do you plan on continuing your soccer career after high school?

A: No.

Q: Then what are your plans for after high school?

A: I’m going to attend Texas Tech.

Q: How long have you been playing soccer?

A: Seven years.

Q: Why?

A: Because it’s fun.

Q: What will you miss the most about high school?

A: The soccer team, mostly because of my friends.

Q: What would you say to the upcoming freshman planning to join soccer?

A: I’d tell them to work hard, because you can miss out on many things sitting on the bench.

The 2010 Winter Olympics have come to a close, but has left an impression of positivity in the minds of those who witnessed and shared the emotional journey of their country and its athletes.

   Rarely is global competition not taking place behind the desks of a nation’s leader, but with the Olympics the same sense of competition remains, but a sense of friendship, pride, and joy occurs between our nations.

   Tenth grade teacher and Canadian citizen Anna McKnay when asked How the Olympics made her feel responded, “Very homesick, but very proud to be Canadian”, and when asked about the Canadian hockey teams historical victory over the United States proudly responded, “Because Canada’s the best at it”.

   The winter Olympics over shadowed, American Idol’s ratings, proving that Americans still believe in pride and love for their country.

    Flores will make his 2^nd appearance at State and Kempers is only the 2^nd wrestler from Leander to win his weight class at Regional competition. Boosters for the wrestling team would like as much support as possible in the form of fans at the upcoming competition.

   Also, a major fundraiser is underway for the team running Feb. 15-20. By eating at Pluckers during this time, 20 percent of food purchases will be donated to the wrestling team. Teachers will receive a free appetizer Feb. 19 by presenting their badge. Be sure to mention the LHS Wrestling Team when ordering.

By Cody Zivley

   Jadon Kempers is a senior on the varsity wrestling team who has recentley qualified for the state level wrestling competition to be held Feb. 26-27 at the Austin ISD Delco Center. Last year Kempers was chosen to be a UIL alternate for the team.

Q: What were your first thoughts when you qualified for state?

A: I was happy, because last year I missed going to state by one point.

Q: What college or University are you planning to attend?

A: The University of Oklahoma.

Q: Will you continue to play sports in college?

A: Yes, I want to play football as a preferred walk-on.

Q: Was Oklahoma your first choice?

A: Yes, I had a couple of D-3 schools looking at me but they didn’t offer enough.

Q: What do you plan to major in?

A: Buisness.

Q: Was  football or wrestling your first choice as sports to play in college?

A: If football doesnt work out I’ll switch to wrestling.

Q: What are you going to miss about high school?

A: Being able to play two sports.

Q: What advice would you give the upcoming freshmen athletes?

A: I’d tell them to work hard no matter what their talent level is because it will show on the field.

Q: Do you prefer football over wrestling?

A: I love both of them equally.

Q: Whats your favourite sports team?

A: Houston Texans.

Q: If today were your last day of high school, what would you tell the freshmen starting their first?

A: Relax and have fun.

   The Leander Lion swim team competed at UT’s Jamail Swim Center last Friday Jan. 29 and Saturday Jan. 30 emerging from the tournament with high spirits and a place in the regionals.

   Claire Toomey won her third district diving competition for the third year in a row and April Cunningham qualified fourth in the one-hundred breaststroke. The girls two-hundred medley (Lindsey Ulin, April Cunningham, Juliet Jagoe and Nicole Longtin)and freestyle relays qualified (Taylor Counts, Giselle Owen, Lindsey Ulin and April Cunninham), as well as the four-hundred relays (Juliet Jagoe, Nicole Longtin, Giselle Owen andTaylor Counts).

   Others individual qualifiers include, Juliet Jagoe, Nicole Longtin, Taylor Counts, Giselle Owen, and Lindsey Ulin who will be participating in the regional competition in “The Woodlands” Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13.

   The boys’ soccer team had an all around win against Stony Point, the first game of their season; first the JV soccer team defeated Stony Points JV 2-1 with both goals scored by Saul Morales in the sixtieth minute with an assist by Angel Urbina and a Penalty kick in the sixty-third minute.

   The varsity soccer team then defeated Stony Point, not allowing any goals from the opposing side with a victory of 2-0. Both goals were scored by Damon Gonzalez in the fifteenth and seventy-fifth minute.

   Jiu-Jitsu started in Brazil with the Japanese immigration in 1908 – through Santos Port – with the ship Kasato-Maru. The practice of Jiu-Jitsu was only taught to Japanese Immigrants at the time, but this changed in 1913 when Mitsuyo Maeda arrived and helped Jiu-Jitsu to form its roots in Brazil. Maeda travelled through Brazil introducing Jiu-Jitsu to anyone who was interested until he eventually opened a gym where he taught several students, including Carlos Gracie.

    Carlos Gracie, continuing in his teacher’s footsteps, traveled through Brazil teaching Jiu-Jitsu until he opened a gym in Rio de Janeiro where he taught his brothers George, Gastao, Helio and Oswaldo. Helio Gracie, paid special interest to the use of the techniques.

    “Because of his small frame and slight stature, Helio Gracie introduced the application of leverage to the art, making it possible for a smaller opponent to defeat a larger one. He began experimenting, modifying and enhancing the basic techniques to make them effective for a person regardless of his or her stature. Thus began the development of a new and more effective art – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.” Rickson Gracie, Helio Gracie`s son, is reported to have said.

   Carlos taught his brothers, through Jiu-Jitsu, a way of life, encouraging tolerance, respectfulness and self confidence. He created the idea of a natural diet, the first special diet for athletes, the Gracie Diet, made jiu-jitsu a synonym for healthy.

  “Thanks to Jiu-Jitsu I’ve become a much better person in life, at school and with myself,” said Brazilian, Gustavo Riso, black-belt college sophomore. “Jiu-jitsu requires us to stay inside the tatami with honor, which is something that you will only understand after you are part of it.”

    The main difference between the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and the Japanese original is their varied specializations. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu focuses on ground fighting and finishing moves, instead of take downs.

   “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu made a big difference for me in MMA, using grappling techniques as opposed to using Jiu-Jitsu,” said Nico Campos, junior. “It improves my ground game no matter how big the opponent is.”

    By changing the international rules of the Japanese jiu-jitsu, Gracie started the first nationality change in a martial art, or sport. Years later, the Japanese martial art was known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as it started to spread all around the world.

    Today Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is considered one of the most popular martial arts in the world and is a mandatory knowledge for any Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, because it is the only martial art that is fully fought in the ground.

    “I became interested in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when I saw Matt Hughes fight Royce Gracie at UFC 60,” said Campos. ”I looked up Royce and found out about Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and I went after it”

   The belt order in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is as follows:

White – Beginner

Gray – 4 to 6 years old

Yellow – 7 to 15 years old 

Orange – 10 to 15 years old

Green – 13 to 15 years old

Blue – 16 years or older

Purple – 16 years or older

Brown – 18 years or older

Black – 19 years or older (up to 6 degrees)

Black & Red – 7 to 8 degrees (Master title)

Red – 9 to 10 degrees. The 10th degree was only given to the creaters of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Carlos Gracie, George Gracie, Deoclécio Paulo, Hélio Gracie and Armando Wridt)

   To advance a belt rank 4 degrees, which are aquired through belt exams, are required. Belt exams happen every 3 to 5 months.

   “To change a belt is almost the same as being promoted, but that most important difference is that you are not doing it for a living, you are doing it for the pleasure to see yourself improve and it is the confirmation that every drop of sweat is really worth it,” Brazilian, Gustavo Bertola, purple-belt junior, said.