On a Friday afternoon, my sister vaguely mentioned the chance to meet professional tennis players. My first reaction was one of surprise, which quickly morphed into skepticism. The obvious question was, which ones? There are roughly over a thousand pros around the globe right now. I treasure my Sunday mornings, and I wasn’t about to waste one sitting at the back of a crowd, straining for a glimpse of someone’s distant ponytail.

When I pulled up the email, my hand shot out and clutched my sister’s arm in a near-death grip. Frustratingly, like all younger sisters, she had failed to mention the most important part: Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula — ladies ranked world No. 4 and No. 6 respectively. Anisimova shot into the spotlight this year by making it to the finals of both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, putting her in the spotlight at some of tennis’s biggest events. As a former No.1 doubles player, Pegula reached the doubles finals of the 2022 French Open with fellow American Coco Gauff and had a career high of No. 3 in singles. There was no chance I was going to miss this opportunity of a lifetime.  

The meet-and-greet was slated to be hours before an exhibition match called “A Racket at the Rock” at Prudential Center. It was held in honor of the legacy of Althea Gibson, the first African American woman to win a Grand Slam. The event also featured world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and 2022 U.S. Open finalist Francis Tiafoe in a series of matches, one mixed doubles and two singles. 

A total of only ten girls were invited. My sister and I along with my co-editor Katie Qin wormed our way to the front until we were seated three feet away from the players. After finding my seat and spotting an opportunity, I got up and introduced myself to the moderator with a little smile. Our plan worked which earned me the chance to ask the very first question. Katie, who was sitting right next to me, took the second. With the players running late, the moderator declared only a total of four questions. I delivered a swift kick at my sister and she secured the final question. In the end, our trio asked three of the four questions. Later at the exhibition match, I watched a sea of fans clamor for autographs. As the rush grew stronger, I gave a smug, victorious smile. As presumptuous as it may sound, I had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Pegula as they were reaching over barriers. 



**What does Althea Gibson’s legacy mean to you, and how has she inspired you as a tennis player?**

Jessica Pegula: 
She’s such a legend of the sport, and I feel like she’s really paved the way for us as women and I think we owe her and Billy Jean King so much credit for doing that. To see how much the sport has grown since then is so incredible. And I feel like it just keeps growing and growing, which I think we all deserve and it’s incredibly special. 

Amanda Anisimova:
I think it’s cool that what she was able to do for the history of our sport, and then being able to also still to this day, even though it was a long time ago, honor her in such a really unique, cool way. Going back to the roots of our sport and how open centers really started, and to be able to still honor that to this day, I think [it] is really important to remember the history of it.

**There’s been a lot of progress in inclusivity and diversity in the tennis court, but what is one thing that could be improved on?**


Pegula:
I think women’s sports are growing. I think we’ve seen a lot of that, a lot of different types of sports are growing for females. And I feel like it’s such an important time right now where it’s getting a lot of traction. It’s getting a lot of eyes on our sport. People, I think, are really supporting it. We’re starting to get paid a lot more. I think we’re starting to get better TV deals and better sponsors, and you’re seeing all of that happen, not just in tennis, but I think in a lot of other sports.
 
 I’ve always been really proud to be part of the sport that has been at the top of women’s sports in general, but I think we just have to kind of keep pushing and building off of that. We have so many cool stories, so much diversity [and] it’s international. I mean, there’s a story I think everybody can relate to, and I think that’ll help continue to grow our sport. I’m proud that our kind is setting the bar and other sports are starting to follow, especially with basketball. 

Anisimova: 
I feel like we are getting the recognition that we deserve, and it’s growing on social media and on TV. Women’s sports, not just in tennis, but also you’ve seen in the WNBA and involve that it’s growing tremendously, and it’s so great to see. We work so hard and every single player has their own story to tell. And I feel the equality bar is getting closer to what we want it to. Obviously, we’re not entirely there yet, but it’s been great to see how much women’s sports have progressed over the last few years. I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement, but I feel like we’ve been doing a really good job of that, not just as players, but also everyone who’s trying to promote women’s tennis.


**If there was one tennis player in history you could switch places with, who would it be and why?** 

Pegula:
Maybe Serena [Williams]. I wonder what it would be like to just dominate like every single slam, to be the best player, one of the best and [if] not the best of all time. I wonder what that feels like.

Anisimova:
I would agree with that. To be so incredibly consistent, far better than anyone else, that would be an incredible feeling. 


Photo: Claire Yang

Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova answer questions at the “A Racket at the Rock” event in Newark, New Jersey. 

Top ten tennis players honor Althea Gibson in local event

Since “Wicked” (2024) was released, audiences have been “holding space” for the second movie. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, “Wicked: For Good” had flurries of teenagers and adults alike, decked out in green and pink, flocking to movie theaters. The movie completes the story arc established in the hit Broadway musical of the same name.
 The movie picks up after Elphaba, learning of the Wizard of Oz’s deception, soars into the air on her broomstick in the number “Defying Gravity” featuring Cynthia Erivo’s iconic vocal riff. Unfortunately, the Wizard and Madame Morrible start a smear campaign, positing Elphaba as the new Wicked Witch of the West and her best friend Glinda as the Good Witch. Audience expectations for the sequel were high, following the cultural influence of the first movie. “Wicked: For Good” indeed succeeds in exploring new dimensions of Oz and the girls’ relationship, but ultimately, its magic falls flat compared to its predecessor.

Many aspects of the film work to make Glinda the main character, but do so at the cost of Elphaba’s own development. For instance, after the number “Wonderful,” Elphaba makes a (temporary) agreement with the wizard. Knowing her steadfast commitment to protecting animal rights, the audience has a difficult time understanding her intentions in doing this, and the act seems out of character for her. 

Additionally, Elphaba’s freeing of the animals interrupts Glinda and Fiyero’s wedding, resulting in Glinda being left alone at the altar. Although this raises the stakes in an audience-engaging moment, it ultimately makes Elphaba and Fiyero look like horrible people, which slightly dampens their cause. On a production level, the color grading of “Wicked: For Good” is slightly better than that of the first part (and the visual effects during “No Good Deed” are top-tier), but in some scenes, such as Glinda the Good’s speech to the Ozians, the characters still look washed out.

In all fairness, the original Broadway show didn’t leave much substance for the director John M. Chu to work with. The movie takes place over the span of the second act of the show, already criticized for a lack of pacing and enormous plot holes. It’s obvious to see that Chu tried to stay faithful to the original musical but attempted to develop certain aspects even further. For example, the addition of a new song “Girl in the Bubble” reveals more of Glinda’s past and her dreams, something that the original musical didn’t have time to flesh out. 

The movie overall did a decent job at transforming Glinda from a ditzy, selfish blonde, to a powerful figure willing to make a real change, hence the line “I have been changed for good” in the closing song “For Good.” 

Overall, the movie stayed true to the stage show and gave the characters more depth.  And for all the people who have been a “Wicked” fan since the musical, you know your heart skipped a beat when Grande and Erivo recreated the poster image in the ending scene. However, it might be safe to say the gold mine of Cynthia Erivo memes that we got from the Wicked press tour were more memorable than the actual movie. For the average non-theatre kid, “Wicked: For Good” did not defy our expectations but provided enough closure to end this green-pink frenzy.

Wicked: For Good review

Volleyball

Coming into the season as two-time state champions, the PHS volleyball team immediately went on a 16 game win streak within the first month, achieving their 31st consecutive win, continued from the previous season. They ended the season with a 20-5 record by winning the state title for the third consecutive year. Other significant games were the two that 
were played in a tri-match against Williamstown and Old-Bridge, two other top-ranked teams in New Jersey. 

“We really got to meet new people and connect, going through losing together, as well as winning,” said Johanna Kraft ’29.

Girls Soccer

A six-game winning streak to open their season set the PHS girls soccer team up for a varsity record of 13-7, making it their most successful fall season since 2023. During the first 
round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 tournament, the varsity team won 2-0 against East Brunswick. The varsity team wrapped up their postseason competitions after reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament. 

“When we have chemistry off the field, it makes it fun,” said Leah O’Neil ’26. “We have all the right inside jokes, and I think that’s what makes the season really special.”

Girls Tennis

Kicking off their 2025 season with a solid five game win streak, the PHS girls tennis team ended with a 12-2 record. Over the course of two months, the team played numerous matches, advancing all the way to state finals where they faced WWPNorth.With the overall match tied 2-2, the outcome hinged on a final singles match, which PHS won after three hours to advance.

“I think that everyone on the team really did enjoy being together, so we had really good team spirit,” said Sophia Bruhn ’27.

Field Hockey

The PHS field hockey team ended their fall season with a varsity record of 10-6. Despite losing their first game, the girls quickly recovered and won 6 straight games. The varsity 
team scored a total of 56 points this season, with their highest-scoring games being against Lawrence (8-1 win), Princeton Day (6-0 win), and Robbinsville (6-0 win). Most notably, as the third-seeded team, they beat second-seed Princeton Day during the CVC semi-final championships. Head Coach Heather Serverson celebrated her 200th win with 
the team after their game against Hopewell. 

“I was just very lucky to be on this team and meet all these girls and learn all the things that I did, whether it was field hockey or not field hockey,” said Maeve Hughes ’29. 

Girls XC

The girls’ cross country team secured a second-place finish at the NJSIAA Group 4 State Championship held at Holmdel Park. This performance earned them a wild card entry into the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, where they placed sixth overall. Their success was built on the lowscore winning format of the sport, 
a principle they demonstrated decisively at the CVC tournament. 
There, the team swept the competition, amassing a winning 
score of just 32 points and finishing well ahead of second-place West Windsor-Plainsboro North, which scored 75. Additionally, PHS placed second at the Varsity B race at the 
Shore Coaches Invitational on October 8th, one of the biggest instate races for the team. 

“All the people worked really hard to achieve their goals, and everyone put their all into it,” said Angelena Gonzalez ’29. “We had a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed just being with 
[the team] in general.

Boys XC

For the first time in program history, the team swept the CVC tournament, winning the varsity title, the JV title, and the first-place overall county title. Additionally, three runners placed in the top ten at the Jerry Hart Invitational at Peddie. The team capped the season with a second-place result at the sectional championship.

“I think definitely the counties win, and the JV counties win, were the most memorable moments, especially like the bus ride home,” said Steven Cenci ’25.

Cheer

The PHS Cheer team earned first place in the Game Day and specialty division at the CVC championship, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since over 15 years ago. Throughout the fall season, the team cheered at numerous football games throughout the year, including the Homecoming Game. They led the student 
section through cheers and chants to help keep the energy up throughout the game as well as performing multiple stunts, 
showcasing the skill and coordination of the team.

“We were excited to make the routine for competition and looking forward to everything,” said Emily Marchione ’28.

Football

The Tigers concluded a strong season with a 7-2 record, their best since 2014. The year was highlighted by two signature wins: a dominant 35-0 shutout of West Windsor and a dramatic 19-14 comeback victory over Holy Cross in the Homecoming Game, where they overcame a halftime deficit to secure the win.

“This was our best record in a while,” said Aryan Kondakindi ’29. “Despite not making the playoffs, not because our record but because of player ejections, everyone played well and had a highlight this season."

Boys Soccer

The team concluded its season with a 14-2-1 record, which included a tie against Notre Dame. Their postseason run extended to the final match of both the CVC tournament and the state championship. During the season, the team recorded shutout victories over Ewing (7-0) and Hightstown (6-0).

“My favorite memory was probably winning the league,” said Riccardo Meloni ’27. “We did pretty well in the CVC [tournament]. The journey to the final was good."

Fall recap

The matcha-drinking, Clairo-listening, feminist literature-consuming male archetype has taken over social media. Known as the “performative male” trend, this type of man dresses and behaves in a manner that they believe appeals to progressive women.

This trend coincides with a rise in misogynistic content denouncing feminists and championing a return to “true masculinity.” Struggling to find romantic partners, some young men are drawn to creators who claim that feminism has turned young women against men. A 2024 Brookings survey found that only 43 percent of Gen Z men identified as feminists, compared to 61 percent of Gen Z women. This is a significant divide between men and women compared to the same statistics for millennials, with 52 percent of millennial men and 54 percent of millennial women self-describing as feminists.

By contrast, the performative male trend encourages a softer expression of masculinity, which includes prioritizing emotional intelligence and understanding of women’s struggles. Although the societal acceptance of this personality can often be seen as a win against toxic standards, the performative male trend still reinforces patriarchy, and is not an expression of true feminism. Additionally, many of the trend’s “feminine” markers adopt aspects of Asian culture, which serves to reinforce historical emasculation of Asian men.
Social media trends emphasize instant engagement and impressions, which only encourages surface-level interaction with ideas of gender equality. Many online creators popular among young people hop on the performative trend by posting a 30-second clip at a matcha café or posing with a copy of “The Will to Change” by bell hooks. In September 2025, Princeton University students hosted their own “performative male contest,” judged by fellow peers on the authenticity of their outfit or on the number of Labubus, viral collectible plush toys, one owns. The performative facade relies on choosing material goods and behaviors to communicate awareness of gender issues, but since the ultimate goal is external validation from women, performative men have no real incentive to deeply understand or act on these issues.

The trend’s encouragement of shallow understanding harms the feminist movement. Men who have read one book about gender inequality present themselves as experts on the topic, which can drown out voices of female classmates in daily conversation and classroom discussion. Caitlin Scott, a writer for The Boar at the University of Warwick, cites a time when a male friend who self-identified as a feminist was “completely disengaged from [a] conversation [about misogyny] ... as if he was above listening to [her] merely because he’d read some Betty Friedan.” With the mindset that exposure to surface-level information is enough, men may feel that they are absolved from any true responsibility to combat sexism.

Additionally, the trend contributes to the further emasculation of Asian men. Hallmarks of the performative male borrow from Asian countries, such as Japanese matcha, Korean skincare, and Chinese Labubu dolls. These are already common aspects of Asian male culture, but the internet has taken these items and deemed them feminine. Thus, when Asian males lean into this softer expression of masculinity, it’s seen as a confirmation of a stereotype rather than a choice. For nearly a century, the archetype of the weak, effeminate Asian man has been consistently promoted in Western media and culture, and the performative male is no exception.

The current performative male trend isn’t a representation of feminism, but mocks it through shallow attempts to “understand” it. The trend currently is highly superficial, but digging deeper into the factors behind the trend can provide an opportunity for meaningful dialogue among young men and women about what it means to be a feminist in 2025. 

Addressing “performative males”

Head Coach James Smirk

“The real secret [to] being great at cross country is understanding that it never really gets easier. You just get better at dealing with it, and then, as such, you’re willing to run faster ... I think that’s something pretty unique in our sport. So our athletes 
have gotten better and have found themselves in a championship position because they have leaned into that idea that they can continue to find greater depths of ability if they’re willing to commit to those ideas.

Assistant Coach Jennifer Smolyn

“For the girls, the goal is going to be to win the section, because they are talented and ready to go. But for the boys, they’re a little bit more of a wild card. We weren’t expecting them to win the county. They put a really, really great race together. So we’re not totally sure how they’re gonna pan out in the section, but we’re excited.”

Aleric Deess ’28

“I’d say that it’s pretty exhilarating, honestly, especially depending on where you’re 
passing them. Towards the end of the race, you can see them in front of you [and] you can see that they’re breathing heavy [or] they’re looking down [and] not feeling great. [At that point], you really [start to] feel like you can really win and pass them in this spot.”

Steven Cenci ’26

“We’ve really bonded as a team and done a bunch of workouts together that have strengthened our connections with each other. So when we [got] out there on the 
course, we [were able to] trust each other and were willing to put it all out there as a team ... I think all four of our coaches ... have been super supportive [and helped] us with our workouts and [gave us] training plans.”

photo courtesy:Lily Ludewig


The cross country teams celebrate their clean sweep victory at the CVC tournament

Cross country teams sweep CVC championships 

Ready, set, hike! The ball is immediately snapped and handed off to Carmine Carusone ’26. He sprints past defenders and breaks tackles on his way to scoring a pivotal touchdown for the Tigers. A couple seconds later, he jogs back out to kick the extra point, which he drills right between the two uprights. 

Carusone grew up playing football with his brothers and friends - instilling an early connection to the sport. However, he initially played both soccer and lacrosse in his freshman year before making the switch to join the high school football team. 

“Once I started the workouts in the summer and I got to see the kind of bonds that you create, and what it's like to actually put the pads on, [it was] something that I knew I couldn't get away from,” said Carusone.

When he first started on the team, Carusone played as a cornerback and kicker. This didn’t stop him from achieving division honors in just his sophomore year, being named First Team Defense for his position as cornerback by the West Jersey Football League. The organization chooses division all-stars each year, the best in their respective positions, in collaboration with league coaches in all 17 divisions. 

Head Coach Charles Gallagher has been leading the PHS boys football team for over 10 years. When he first met Carusone, Gallagher knew he would be a great asset to the team. 

“We saw he was an athlete. He was tough, he was fast, and he was smart,” said Gallagher. “He was a great kid, and we'd like to think that we built our program around good kids.”

In a recent game against Lawrence, Carusone played a pivotal role defending his position as running back against the opponents.

“I remember he had like a 60 yard run against Lawrence where he ran through like, two, three guys,” said teammate Julian Frevert ’27. “And then, [it] took like five guys to bring him down.”

The following season, Carusone got his first snaps at the running back position, recording 651 yards on 130 attempts and five touchdowns. That season, the Tigers would go 5–5, winning the Valley Division title, and competing in the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Additionally, Carusone was named First Team All Offense, this time for his position at running back in the Valley Division, for his contributions. 

Now, as a senior, Carusone is co-captain of the team. However, Gallagher says leadership is something that comes to him naturally and has been present in him for years, along with the characteristics that make up an excellent football player.

“He's become a great leader for our program,” said Gallagher. “He plays three different positions, some of the hardest positions. Being running back, corner back, and also being our full-time kicker, as punter, [means] he doesn't come off the field.”

In addition to playing such a pivotal role in the team, Carusone shoulders heavy responsibilities like school and academics. During the summer, the team completes workouts in preparation for the season. It doesn’t stop there though; the team has practice six days a week throughout the school year. 

“When school starts, I try to keep my mind on my scores as much as I can throughout the school day,” said Carusone. “Then as soon as football comes, my mind just completely shifts. I'm focused, ready to learn about the team that we're playing against or new plays that we're putting in."

Stepping into his leadership role, Carusone assists teammates in the weight room, a pivotal part of offseason training for every member on the team. In the weight room, he can be found leading teammates in exercises and providing support for everyone to get the most out of their workout.

“He's [the] kind of guy you want to get behind and follow,” said teammate Julian Frevert ’27. “He's one of our strongest guys and a really good example to have for younger guys on the team and people my age.” 

Even through tough moments such as losing the homecoming game in Carusone’s sophomore year, he took it as a chance to redirect his energy towards improvement.

“So when big losses like that happen, we try to just keep the team together and uplift everybody so that when the next big game comes, we're ready to go,” said Carusone.

For his final season, Carusone hopes to lead the team to another great season and victory at the homecoming game. While still going through the recruitment process, he has stacked an impressive resume from his time on the team and left a legacy that won’t be forgotten.

“The best part about football is, for me, is ... what it's like to be a part of a team. When you're part of a team, you're like a family, and [it’s] like a culture that no one else has, except for your team,” said Carusone. “When I step on that field, I know that I have my teammates’ [backs] and I know that they have my back.”


Carmine Caruson '26: football

Before digging into a long-awaited meal, you may wonder about the true nutritional value of your food. Now, by simply snapping a picture of the burrito bowl sitting in front of you, detailed statistics about the nutritional contents of your meal are generated within seconds. As the modern world of sports becomes increasingly attentive to the impact of diet and macronutrient intake on fitness and athletic performance, new innovations are accommodating to this focus. This is mainly made possible by one thing: artificial intelligence. 

Like many other facets of our day-to-day life, AI has become one of the most convenient and accessible tools in the fitness industry. Beyond ChatGPT and other large language models, AI has been integrated into programs such as Whoop, Peloton, and other fitness-related tools and appliances. The rise of machine learning in the fitness industry mirrors its success in other fields; its efficiency and personalized nature cut the time it takes to manually research fitness goals to just a few seconds. 

Some AI fitness scanners, like Fitbod, are able to assess the client’s physical state (age, weight, medical condition, BMI) in more detail than a personal trainer would be able to achieve. Apps then take that information to tailor a specific workout regimen — all in a matter of minutes. Rather than investing hundreds of dollars into a trainer, AI offers a cheap, innovative alternative. 

“When I didn't know how to work out and it was difficult for me to find resources which were beginner friendly, AI was the way to go,” said Aarav Upadhyay ’27. 

Not only can AI be used to gather data on the athlete’s physical metrics, it’s used as a tool to predict injuries and outcomes. Wearable bracelets are able to sense muscle imbalances and stress patterns before it’s too late. The Dallas Cowboys implemented this wearable tech system for performance analysis and injury prevention, an issue that has long plagued the sport. Additionally, Paralympic cyclist Skylar Espinoza praised AI fitness program Parity in helping her track her biometrics ahead of the Olympic Games. 

Despite the benefits and streamlined efficiency, there are concerns over AI’s privacy and reliability. These fitness trackers collect massive amounts of data on a person with little to no guarantee of misuse or breach. Systems with a poorly trained algorithm are capable of recommending risky or even dangerous workouts, increasing the risk of injury. In sports, AI implementation has caused arguments on who has the final say in injury situations: the coach, athlete, or AI. 

“I don’t use AI trackers for my sport because the US figure skating [team] has their own app,” said Audrey Chiu ’26. “I don’t actually trust it because it can’t really know what’s going on in human bodies.”

While it is tempting to immediately turn to AI for advice, PHS students have many resources at their disposal, ranging from health classes and gym teachers to professional guest speakers who teach us about fitness and nutrition. An overreliance on technology is dangerous, especially if we entrust our physical health with it: AI indiscriminately sources from the internet, and it is our job to be proactive by verifying generated answers. 


How AI is transforming the fitness industry

**How did you get into coaching cross country?**

Yeah, a little bit of a funny story, I was teaching here and I was actually coaching the
ultimate [frisbee] team as a club sport, and [cross country] had an opening, and the
athletic director at the time, John Curtis, had employed my wife as a soccer coach here.
And [he] was like, “I heard you ran cross country.” And I was like, “that’s true,” [so he
said] “I’ve got a job for you.” And that’s how I started. So that was 
21 years ago.

**What is training like, typically?**

It’s really dependent on the number of years the runner has been running, how fast
they are and their biological age, so it’s a kind of broad range. For some kids, it’s as little
as a mile or two, and then a lot of strength and conditioning all the way up to some kids
are going. [On] some days, long runs are 12 [to] 13 miles. And then there’s different
types of workouts that go on in there as well ... they’re very individualized. And we
actually empower our athletes to make positive decisions in our training. So we give
them the framework, and then we expect them to grow into making decisions about
how to maximize that training.

**How has your coaching philosophy changed over time?**


I think initially, when I started coaching, philosophically, I was very traditional ... We
got to go into these things with the intent of very specific outcomes. And it was very
top-down, and that was kind of classic for the type of coaching that I received growing
up and over time, what I realized is that developing leaders yields positive results, and so
we shifted pretty heavily towards this idea that we can do this high quality training and
work, but really empower our athletes and have them become self-aware and self-deciding
about their own. And so we really have moved towards that idea that we talk about things
on our team, about the value of the work we’re doing right versus the time that we ran.

**Have you helped create any rituals or traditions that the team currently has?**

We have two kinds of long standing traditions. We’ve got Tiger Tough, [which was]
created by Coach Godudo, who is an assistant coach of mine. We have a meeting on
Fridays ... You just stand up when you feel that you want to speak on behalf of someone
and tell us why you think they are Tiger Tough, why they exemplify the goals of the team
... When you are Tiger Tough, you get a stuffed tiger, and it is passed from [each] Tiger
Tough person every week ... you’re requested to carry the tiger everywhere you go, so he
comes with you to class. The other tradition is runner of the week, and this one much the
same way we talk about each other, but it’s more focused on performance, and at the end
of that, we have a prize box of things that people have donated to the program ... [these
traditions are] really meant to celebrate our successes above and beyond.

**How has the sport of cross country training changed over the years? And how are
you adapting?**

Well, we’ve got the sport has gotten much faster ... Training wise, we’ve made some
adjustments. We spend a lot more time improving overall athleticism, because we find
when we do that our athletes are able to stay healthy. And really, we focus a lot on that
process and that concept. What hasn’t changed is we believe in our athletes for the time
they’re with us ... Some of our athletes run for me three seasons a year, [for all] four
years, and you spend all that time providing them the support and opportunity that we
can ... We have some seniors who are really finally ready to kind of compete at a higher
level [but you] wouldn’t necessarily identify that kid the first day [of practice]. And that
process has been long and arduous and meaningful, and because of that, I’m incredibly
proud of them and that journey, and I think that’s really one of the core things about
our team that’s unique.

**During matches, are there any strategies like that you would fall back to?**

Other than being faster than the other team? We firmly believe that what we do in
practice should be simulating what we’re doing. Kind of, one of our core ones is how
we approach racing on hills. We use what’s called the three P’s, which is press, pass, and
punish. So when we run hills, our goal is not necessarily to run faster than someone on
the hill, but it’s to force them into a decision. So we like to get close enough to them that
they either decide they want to run faster than they want to or run slower than they want
to, and then based on their decision, we then react ... A lot of our race strategies are built
around that idea ... Probably the biggest strategy we employ is athletes make decisions
every single day when they train. So we expect when the guns go off, for them to make
decisions. We preach that from day one, the only bad decision is indecision.

**What has been, or have been, your proudest moments of this season?**

I’m really proud of the fact that our athletes are willing to risk for themselves, but also
for each other. You see our veterans going and, you know, chat up a kid who’s maybe five
weeks into their running career, and say, “Hey, I saw you doing this, let me talk to you
about this, or let me show you a different way.” Just having the courage as a teammate to
say this person is valued because they’re part of our program and I’m going to invest in
them ... Race results, scores, winning championships, those things are all end products,
[but also] good community, good coaching, good athletes, effort and commitment. We’re
proud for [the results], but it’s really more that we’re proud about the process.

**What is your attitude in the face of adversity?**

So probably one of the things that makes our group unique is [we] actually embrace
adversity and conflict. We believe that, if you want to be great, you have to be willing to
have positive conflict with the people around you ... Everybody has challenges. Maybe
they aren’t bringing their truest self to that moment, sour positive conflict is about trying
to find that ... The reality is, it’s never perfect. Of course, it’s too soft, it might be raining,
it’s too hot, it’s too cold, the wind is too windy, whatever. There’s a lot of things outside of
our control, and we get pretty comfortable with that idea. We really do focus on things
that we have control over, which is our own decision making, in our own performance.

Photo: Claire Yang

James Smirk explains the plans for the run and goals for the week.

James Smirk: Cross Country Coach of the Year

A K-pop girl group fighting a hot demon boy band for the fate of the world? When I first heard the premise of “KPop Demon Hunters” from my sister, I laughed it off. After much insistence, I reluctantly sat down and watched what would become the cultural phenomenon of the summer. But it wasn’t just a stroke of luck that the movie was such a massive hit. 

For me, the true magic of the movie wasn’t its punchy animation or catchy songs, but its incorporation of Korean culture. My reluctance came from a disappointing experience with another animated movie released over the summer, “Elio”: just another generic plot and recycled animation style. 

However, “KPop Demon Hunters” pulled me in because it went beyond using Korean culture as just another trendy aesthetic. Director Maggie Kang’s nine years of research is evident throughout the movie, referencing Korean mythology as well as lesser-known Korean dishes. For example, protagonists Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, collectively known as Huntr/x, try to save the world from demons by sealing them through the “Honmoon” with their songs. The idea was taken from Korean muldang dancers, women who perform protective rituals. Even Derpy and Sussie, the internet-famous tiger and magpie duo, were designed after minhwa, Korean folk art. 

The highlight of the entire movie for me came towards the end. The Saja Boys, an all-demon boy band and nemesis of Huntr/x, perform their chart topping song “Your Idol.” After my sister and I had managed to stop singing along, I noticed their outfits, traditional Korean clothes called hanbok. All of them even wore the traditional hats (gat), a detail my mother was all too happy to point out. 

Even songs from Huntr/x and the Saja Boys — fictional groups — topped the Spotify charts, surpassing very popular groups like BLACKPINK and BTS. But the movie’s ultimate success is the buzz surrounding what I consider the movie’s best song: “Golden,” which is now being considered for Best Original Song for next year’s Oscars.  

I still believe one of the main reasons behind the popularity of “KPop Demon Hunters” is because of how well it knew its audience. The movie tapped into a pre-existing interest towards K-pop and Korean culture, fueling its popularity globally. Nowadays, animation studios are finding it harder to come up with original ideas that still grab the audience’s interest. But as “KPop Demon Hunters” has shown, true connection isn’t found in generic plots, but in the heart of a cultural moment. 

“KPop Demon Hunters” slays 

Spring recap

Throughout history, sports have always been a major source of entertainment and activity. The first major sporting event, the Olympic Games, took place over 2700 years ago. Even before, the earliest mention of physical recreation can be found in muddy cave paintings from the Stone Age. While some ancient sports have faded from common practice, many have continued to be carried out today in different forms, honoring the rich cultural roots they represent.

Pankration, a combination of boxing and wrestling with little to no restrictions, was extremely popular in ancient Greece. After being introduced in 648 B.C. at the Olympics, it quickly became a fan-favorite, especially for the warrior-like Spartans. Unlike modern wrestling, the game would only stop if the opponent was rendered unconscious or admitted defeat. The only fouls recognized were biting and gouging, leading to competitors sometimes dying in the ring. Despite this gruesome aspect, the sport had many myths surrounding it, only fueling the respect and awe of the public towards the athletes. It was believed at the time that the mythical hero,Theseus, was said to have defeated a the Minotaur, and he did it by wrestling the beast with his bare hands. Today, pankration is no longer practiced due to its violent nature, but it serves as a striking reminder of how vastly different the limitations were of sports in the past.

A popular game in ancient and current times, kabaddi is the second most viewed sport, after cricket, in India. The game operates similarly to a more competitive version of tag. Two teams of seven players start on either side of a court and send one person to infiltrate the other team’s “territory.” The person called the “Raider,” tries to tag all seven players on the opposite team, the “Antis,” in a tricky game of one versus seven. However, the raider also must tag as many opponents as they can in a single breath without being caught to score points for their team. Speculated to have emerged in prehistoric times, the game was essential for developing reflexes for hunting and self-defense.

Known as the “sport of kings” from over two thousand years ago, the Persian sport chovgan is the forerunner of polo. The sport is played on Karabakh stallions, prized Azerbaijan horses that are recognized by UNESCO, along with the sport, as a cultural heritage. The rules are essentially the same as polo; two teams riding horses try to hit the ball through the goalposts using a long wooden mallet. However, no safety gear is allowed for the players — requiring courage in addition to skill to play the game. Back in ancient times, musicians would perform traditional music, and storytellers would narrate folk tales. This resulted in a beautiful combination of different cultural elements that displayed a nation’s history and identity in a single game.

Knattleikr, played by the Vikings, was a brutal, unrestrained sport to demonstrate one’s battle potential, similar to pankration. The game was mentioned throughout Icelandic sagas, a collection of thirteenth and fourteenth-century works about the great Viking families. Though the exact details of the sport’s rules remain vague, according to historian William Short, the only objective was to get the ball across the field by any means necessary. The players would carry wooden bats to bludgeon their opponents, which often resulted in severe injuries and bloody spats on the field. Tournaments could go on for weeks, with entire camps set up of spectators coming to watch.Orðstír or glory was seen as the ultimate goal for the Vikings — glory and respect earned from the game lasted even after death. The game joins the list of ancient sports no longer practiced, but certain archaeological groups like the Hurstwic Viking Combat group specialize in safely recreating it for audiences.

These ancient practices were more than just physical activities; they were a reflection of the values and traditions of the societies that created them. Over time, many have evolved or even disappeared from practice, but their influence remains in modern-day sports. Whether they are practiced in different forms today or lived in the past, ancient sports helped shape our understanding of values and culture in the athletic world.

Taking a look into ancient sports

For the first time in PHS history, a student-run badminton tournament took place in the Old Gym, where 12 singles players and eight pairs of doubles all tried to claim the championship title.

PHS Badminton Club leaders William Liu ’26, Kaitlyn Bian ’26, and Joseph Hu ’26 took months to plan.

“There were a lot of steps. First, we had to get approved, and then we had to get all the logistics, like the nets, the tournament order as well as [decide] who is going to judge. So there’s a lot of components, and I’m glad that we were able to get it together in the end,” said Bian.

After playing badminton in China, Liu wanted to build a community that shared his passion for the sport with his fellow students. At the club fair, the club got over 200 signups — an eighth of the entire student body.

“I’m trying to find [people] who share the same interest with me in badminton and also trying to encourage others to play this sport,” said Liu.

The co-ed tournament was held in an elimination style format, playing the best out of two sets, with each set only going up to 11 points, unlike the professional standard of 21 points.

Players had the choice to sign up for either doubles or singles, and were required to bring their equipment.

In the finale of the tournament, Akshaj Sama ’26 and Anirudh Kashyap ’25 won the doubles tournament and Yunsheng Xu ’27 took home the singles prize.

Sama initially decided to sign up for the tournament for fun and to compete with fellow students.

“I’m really happy about my win,” said Sama. “I definitely couldn’t have won without my teammate Anirudh … This experience was really fun!”

Club advisor and gym teacher Carlos Salazar remembers badminton being a tradition among the P.E. teachers and wanted to help the students at PHS get involved with the sport outside of their gym class. In his 34 years of teaching, “this is the first time” he’s witnessed such an event.

“As an advisor, my main goal is to make sure that it is a … student-oriented program,” said Salazar. “I make suggestions, support them as much as I can … basically it’s been [the leaders’] ideas [and] their support.”

Although PHS does not have an official badminton team, the tournament served as a way to connect badminton players throughout the school, regardless of their skill level or previous experience.

“I played badminton outside of school, and I think it’s a very fun sport. It’s good exercise as well,” said Bian. “I think [the tournament] positively influenced sports culture [by] getting people who normally don’t participate in sports to participate in some type of activity.”

After seeing the success of their very first tournament, Liu is optimistic about the future of badminton at PHS and even beyond.

“Maybe next time we can have an inter-school tournament. For next year, we’re gonna have the same school [event], hopefully,” said Liu.

PHS holds its first badminton tournament

  Throughout history, women have played a significant role in challenging societal norms in the sports world. Efforts to bring attention to women's sports and close the gender pay gap were made possible by women who persevered to create a better future for female athletes.   

As the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer completed the entire course despite efforts by the race director to remove her. With no rules against women competing, Switzer signed up simply because she was a running enthusiast. While running the course, men tried to rip her running bib off and push her off the path, captured in an iconic photo by The Boston Globe. Shaken but determined, she resolved to help other women deprived of opportunities in running. In 1977, she created the Avon International Running Circuit, which paved the way for the women's marathon in the Olympic Games.   

Tennis player Billie Jean King first brought attention to the gender pay gap after she noticed that her prize earnings in the Pacific Southwest Tennis Tournament were only fifteen percent of what her male counterparts earned. Despite the womens’ finals selling more than double the tickets as the mens, the tournament director refused to award the same amount of prize money, leading to King to organize a walk-out.  

This was only the beginning of King’s fight for equal prize money in tennis, which culminated in the famous tennis match, Battle of the Sexes. Bobby Riggs, declaring women’s tennis inferior to men’s, challenged King after he defeated top-ranked women’s player Margaret Court. Knowing the symbolism and weight the match would carry, King accepted and beat Riggs in straight sets with ninety million people watching worldwide.   

Her win inspired the U.S. Open to offer equal prize money for the first time for any major sporting event. Thanks to King’s persistent advocacy, tennis is one of the only sports today that offer the same amount of money to both male and female competitors across all four grand slams. 

Despite these advancements in tennis and Title IX, the landmark legislation preventing sex-based discrimination in sports in an educational setting, the gender pay gap still remains at large for other sports. Yet in 2024, none of the top ten most paid female athletes were included in Sportico’s list of top 100 highest paid athletes. 
However, in team sports, the gap is especially noticeable because of the difference between individual salary compared to the revenue generated as a team. Caitlin Clark, a rising basketball star, signed with Indiana Fever. However, her salary of $338,056 was only a fraction of Victor Wembanyama’s contract of $55 million. Despite generating more revenue than the men’s team, the U.S. women’s soccer team’s maximum salary was $99,000 versus the men’s maximum salary of $263,320. In comparison, the men’s team has never made it to a World Cup finals while the women’s team consistently ranks among the best in the world. 

While the advancements made by iconic women athletes have considerably shaped the sports world for the better, there is more work that needs to be done. Women representation in sports in itself showcases the broader need for change in women’s rights. 


Women's impact on sports

Brightly colored bottles and bold advertisements
promise a multitude of benefits for athletes, from
enhancing energy to boosting overall performance.
These advertisements are highly attractive — according
to a 2018 study led by pediatrician Kyla Cordrey,
there is a positive correlation between the
aggressiveness of energy drink advertisements
and the proportion of U.S. high school students
who consume them. This trend is evident at
PHS: students in the Fitness Center are rarely
seen without a bright blue beverage, bottles
of Powerade sit on desk corners, and vending
machines sell Gatorade G-Zero, vitaminwater,
BODYARMOR, and Gatorade Propel. What are
the real health benefits of energy drinks, though? What
ingredients do they contain? Are they worth peddling to
the PHS crowd?

Beyond advertisements, sports drinks are increasingly
popular in the United States due to a rising athlete
population and greater interest in fitness-related activities,
with the sports drink industry projected to reach a value
of $36.35 billion in 2028, according to Fortune Business.
Furthermore, accessibility through online stores, effective
branding, and collaborations with sports teams or
celebrities have bolstered the industry through the years.
In order to keep up with the current trends, companies
have started to change their advertising and packaging
to emphasize the use of natural and organic ingredients
to reflect the growing support towards sustainability and
clean-label sources. However, even with these changes,
the main ingredients of the drinks remain largely the
same, including large amounts of sugar,
carbohydrates, sodium, and caffeine.

A popular sports drink brand and go-to
choice for athletes, Gatorade claims their
product hydrates better than water due to
two additional ingredients: electrolytes and
carbohydrates. Electrolytes are minerals
essential for maintaining the body’s ionic
balance — the balance between the fluids in
and outside the cells — which is necessary for
muscle, brain, and nerve function. As one of the
three main nutrients, carbohydrates are sugar
molecules that are eventually broken down into glucose,
and are the main source of energy for organs and cells.

However, sports drinks like Gatorade contain excessive
amounts of sugar, with some even including caffeine,
which can spike blood glucose levels significantly,
according to the American Diabetes Association.
Regularly having high blood glucose levels can lead to
severe or permanent damage in the kidneys, nerves,
eyes, and blood vessels. Many companies advertise their
products as “zero sugar” to appear healthier but only
minorly disclose that the alternative sweeteners they
use, such as aspartame and sucralose, may alter healthy
gut bacteria, according to Anglia Ruskin
University researchers Aparna Shil and
Havovi Chichger. The long-term effects
of low-calorie sweeteners are unknown,
but studies from Harvard University have
found them to be correlated with diabetes.
Additionally, the vibrant colors of sports
drinks are achieved by using artificial dyes
such as Red #40, a common additive that
has been linked to concerning carcinogenic
effects such as tumor growth.

However, despite containing high amounts of sugar
and mysterious additives, sports drinks can be beneficial
when consumed during intense exercise, where extra
calories and sugar are offset by the energy burned during
the workout. According to the Academy of Pediatrics,
sports drinks may be more useful than water for athletes
who engage in vigorous physical activity for longer than
an hour, especially in hot conditions. But while athletes
are still the primary consumers of sports drinks, the
industry’s shift in focus towards non-athletes and other
consumers, particularly through aggressive advertising,
often results in unintended and excessive consumption.
Gatorade, for example, can be found in children’s
lunchboxes and is even used as a hangover remedy. A
study conducted by researchers at UC Berkeley found
that people who aren’t athletes and drink sports drinks
once a day are usually not as physically
active as they should be in order to balance
the intake of the sugar and calories. For less
active people, the extra calories and sugars
aren’t necessary and cause more problems,
such as increased risk of high blood pressure
and obesity. Water remains the ideal source
of hydration by effectively replenishing fluids
lost through sweat without added sugars or
calories for light exercise.

> High amounts of sugar, sodium, and artificial dyes can pose health risks.

Though water is widely considered the
best source of hydration, it does not contain
the electrolytes and carbohydrates needed for longer,
more intense workouts. But instead of turning to neon-
colored drinks with an abundance of added sugar, there
are healthier alternatives that contain the same essential
ingredients as sports drinks. Coconut water and orange
juice contain electrolytes, natural sugars, and water,
offering all the benefits of a sports drink without harmful
additives. For an easy homemade alternative, try mixing
a glass of coconut water with honey for added sugar, a
pinch of sea salt to replace sodium lost through sweat,
and a splash of lime for flavor.

> There are healthier alternatives that contain the same essential ingredients as sports drinks.

Sports drinks have their place for intense exercise, but
they are often incorrectly used in everyday situations
where they may not be necessary. Despite marketing
claims that emphasize performance benefits, high
amounts of sugar, sodium, and artificial dyes can pose
health risks when consumed regularly by less active
individuals. With their popularity at PHS, sports drinks
will certainly not leave the vending machines soon. Thus,
it falls on students to weigh the risks and benefits of what
they consume.

Sports drinks: healthy or harmful?

The Boys Volleyball Club operates with over 30 committed members, but that leaves many wondering: Why don’t they have an official team? The answer is more complex than it seems; it’s a time consuming process involving many moving factors.

Most teams start off as a booster club, a platform used to highlight participation and raise funds. The girls volleyball coach Patricia Manhart has been with the girls team ever since its transition from a club to an official team in 2013.

“The Board of Education said that the girls had to start as a [club] program to show and ... prove that there was interest,” said Manhart. “When I was first hired, I heard from the athletic director at the time that there was interest.”

At the beginning of the club’s creation, players were requested to pay a certain fee to cover the costs of transportation, uniforms and equipment. After the club demonstrated sufficient participation, the Board of Education began covering the team’s costs over the course of three years: a lengthy step by step integration of the club into the athletic program.

Athletics take up a significant portion of the high school’s budget, with nearly $1.7 million spent on school-sponsored athletic instruction from 2023 2024 to support 30 teams. The influence of booster clubs is significant, as they help signal to the Board of Education whether a team merits allocation in the budget. As the principal of Princeton High School, Cecilia Birge oversees all facets of the budget for the high school alone.

“It’s the principal who makes the recommendation to the superintendent. The superintendent has the final say, then she presents it to the school board. The school board votes for the total school budget,” Birge said.

As one of the founding members of the PHS Boys Volleyball Club, Kaden Li ’26 has worked for the past two years trying to get an official team approved. The club has accumulated new members each year, showcasing a rising interest for the sport in PHS.

“We got in contact with Mr. Dzbenski, the sports director. I think it’s been a funding issue,” said Li. “It seems like there’s a good amount of people who are interested, have the participation, but can’t get the funding.”

While funding has long posed challenges for athletics, it’s far from the only obstacle standing in the way. Title IX, a congressional law passed in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school, ensuring an equal number of boys and girls sports teams. Almost every sport at this school has both a girls and boys team, except for football and field hockey. Brian Dzbenski, the athletics director for Princeton Public Schools, compares the system to a series of checks and balances, explaining that whenever a boys team is added, a girls team must also be added in order to maintain balance.

“If we do create a [boys] volleyball team, we’re going to have that imbalance ... we have to do an assessment of all our sports and look at the enrollment numbers,” said Dzbenski. “We have to take a look and possibly add another girls team.”

Not only does the athletic program have to take into account the balance between teams, but they also need to weigh the financial burden of this rule, which requires covering the costs of equipment, coaches, and referees for two teams rather than just one. Adding two teams places a considerable strain on the budget, leading to a shift in funding allocation. 

“The district allocates a certain amount of funding to fund coaches to coach those teams. When you take a look at the breakdown, all the girls programs and all the boys programs we have, we have an equal number of employee coaches for female sports as we do for male sports,” said Dzbenski. “The financial stressor is placed on the district for adding ... another two coaches’ salaries.”

Additionally, the costs associated with equipment, transportation, and referees present significant challenges that the district might struggle to manage. Given the high school’s limited budget, adding another team would likely create enough financial strain that could impact academics. Funding the new teams would require a budget reshuffle, pulling resources from other areas - a process involving the entire high school.

“Every academic area has to balance things, so that’s where it becomes a daunting task of competing priorities, because we have so many deserving students on so many programs,” Dzbenski said.

Unless the circumstances allow it right away, the creation of an official boys volleyball team will likely take a long time to become part of the PHS athletic program. However, with the recent progress of the Boys Volleyball Club and the growing attention the sport has garnered, the prospect of establishing an official boys’ team at PHS is increasingly within reach.

Why doesn't PHS have a boys volleyball team?

Holding the discus, Isabella Posada ’24 spins on one leg, generating power, before releasing and letting it fly far.

Posada was introduced to discus through her friend at Cranbury Middle School. Joining the track and field team with her friend at middle school was very important in Posada’s process of getting accustomed to the track team, and the sport of discus at PHS.

“[I] started off [with] shotput but then I began to move to discus, and [I] just [kept competing in discus from then on],” Posada said.

Posada attributes much of her success to the work she did with her coaches, from their emphasis on intense training to their ability to counsel and mentor.

“Most of my coaches have been very supportive and have treated me as a daughter of their own, making me love the sport and listen to their advice,” said Posada. “I believe a good coach shouldn’t have favorites
and should push their athletes in the right way and get to know them personally in order for them to achieve their full potential.”

Brandon Williams is the coach of the discus team at PHS, and has seen Posada’s progress throughout the
years; her development is a major source of pride for Williams.

“Isabella has been on our team for about four years now,” said Williams. “She’s a senior and she’s gone through everything. She has been a county champion, and that has been a great inspiration to younger throwers to accomplish what she has.”

Transitioning from Cranbury Middle School to PHS, Posada discovered that the community of discus throwers was small in comparison to the sprinters and long distance runners, but soon found herself appreciating this close-knit group.

“My relationship with other discus throwers can be very personal. I feel more connected to some of them because we have grown [together] not just as throwers but as people,” said Posada. “If it was a larger sport [with] more people, it would most likely not feel the same.”

Osbaldo Morales ’25 has been Posada’s teammate for the past couple of years, and has seen how her emphasis on team morale has allowed for stronger unity in the long run.

“When I was a freshman, I was a little scared of my upper classmates,” said Morales. “As time passed on, and as I got to know [Isabella], I realized that she was someone who was easy to communicate [with]; she is a really easy going person.”

Along with being a great person and friend, Posada stresses the significance of team bonding experiences, as she feels that it can help improve results on the field. Morales fondly remembers a moment where Posada sang “Let It Go” in a car ride while the team was bonding over ice cream. Moraless feels that this encompasses Posada’s spirit.

“It was ... just a really fun time and everyone [was] singing along, because that was the vibe,” said Morales. “She was really singing her whole heart out.”

While Posada is committed to making sure that the team environment is friendly and cohesive, she is able to employ a competitive mindset when needed. Posada believes that focusing on winning involves several factors.

“I usually try to mentally prepare myself before throwing, by calming myself down and going through my throwing routine,” said Posada. “I usually like to think of anything but throwing because it helps me not get in my head [too] much.”

Williams feels that Posada’s competitive drive is a perfect example of what his athletes should aspire to have, and that such ambition allows them to impact on the field.

“Having athletes that compete with each other on a day-in-day-out basis helps to push each other to make them better, so they can be at their highest level of competition on meet day,” Williams said.

Now close to graduation, Posada feels that she has a good understanding of the PHS track team, and has some good advice for freshmen who are beginning their high school careers.

“It’s all about mentality and keeping yourself together,” said Posada. “A lot of great athletes can easily get in their [own] heads which negatively impacts their performance, especially when they are throwing a discus.”

Isabella Posada ’24: discus

With another exciting school year coming to an end, we all have one word in our minds: VACATION! Luckily, for those who are going on road trips by themselves, or with their friends or family, we have created a perfect playlist for long drives.

“Drive By” is a song by American pop rock band Train from their sixth studio album, “California 37,” released in 2012. This song does a good job keeping the mood upbeat and ensuring that your road trip won’t be a boring one. The song describes the story of how the lead singer, Pat Monahan, met his wife. While she thinks their meetup was just a “one night stand,” hence “drive by,” Monahan tries his best to convince her otherwise. Train does an amazing job describing the feelings of Monahan, explaining how his “love for [the girl] went viral / And [he] loved [her] every mile [she] drove away ... Because [he] really fell for [her].” I think that this song is incredibly endearing, especially because Monahan develops his feelings simply through a one night stand. Not only does this song bring back nostalgia of the early 2010s, it is incredibly catchy as well, and great for a road trip.

Similar to “Drive By,” in “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, the artist also sings about his love towards a girl, opening up about his feelings towards her, and overcoming the hesitation he has while trying to pursue the girl. With the lyrics, “So I won’t hesitate no more, no more,” Mraz makes it clear he no longer wants to bottle up his feelings about this girl. I think that aside from the endearing message that this song has, the music is catchy yet not overwhelming. The instrumentals are clean; while there are quite a few instruments used, such as the bass guitar, ukulele, and keyboard, the song still has a calm vibe. So, even if you just listen to the music for its vibes, or if you enjoy deciphering messages written by artists, “I’m Yours” will definitely catch your attention.

As for a more recent song, “Espresso” is a trending pop song written by American singer Sabrina Carpenter in 2024. Similarly to the other two songs, this tune is also upbeat. However, the lyrics in “Espresso” are rather humorous. Carpenter begins her song by saying how “he’s thinkin’ ‘bout [her] every night ... say[ing] [he] can’t sleep” because she’s like an espresso to him: addicting. While many artists sing about serious themes, such as love, pain, and breakups, Carpenter deals with more light-hearted subjects. I think that despite this song being repetitive, the catchy chorus makes up for the shortcomings.

“Cruel Summer,” a 2019 tune by international pop star Taylor Swift, is a song that begs to be sung at the top of your lungs on a hot summer day. In it, Swift conveys the feeling of a forbidden summer romance. At one point in the song, she sings, “And I snuck in through the garden gate / Every night that summer just to seal my fate / And I screamed for whatever it’s worth / ‘I love you,’ ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?” As the highlight of the song, if the previous parts didn’t already, this grabs my attention and convinces me to sing along. For fans of 1980s music, the synth-heavy instrumental contains elements of retro music and gives a sense of nostalgia. Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, this song will get you singing “it’s a cruel summer” along with Swift.

“Curls in the Wind’’ was released last year by Mark Ambor, an American singer-songwriter mainly focused on indie-pop music. Despite echoing sentiments of romance like “Cruel Summer,” Ambor’s lyrics portray pursuing love as something that is exciting and comforting. The song depicts a more carefree impulsiveness of new romance that gives the listener a sense of freedom when Ambor sings, “Getting lost in a beautiful place / Open fields when I look at your face.” The pace of the song and the clarity of the lyrics make it easy for me to sing along with anyone I’m traveling with in the car. The sensory depictions embedded in the phrases lets the listener imagine a perfect setting with their loved one and gives a sense of escapism.

Performed by K-pop girl group NewJeans, who is known for hits such as “Super Shy” and “Hype Boy,” the song “ETA” will get you and your friends or family hyped up for summer fun. The refreshing, rhythmic pop sound of “ETA” with its addictive chorus is sure to be a favorite for teens. The chorus is “We can go wherever you like / Baby say the words and I’m down / All I need is you on my side ... what’s your ETA, what’s your ETA.” The lyrical style of this song is similar to conversing with a close friend, inviting the listener to be part of their inner circle. I especially love the meaning of the lyrics and how it comes to symbolize navigating young love with the help of close friends. Even though the song is mostly in Korean, the main parts of the song are in English, allowing people to sing along to the most important parts.

Hopefully these summer bops give you a sense of cheerfulness and spirit no matter what destination you’re headed towards. After a stressful school year, we deserve good music to kick back and relax to. Feel free to explore other songs from the playlist to listen to over your summer vacation!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4uXYlVzPAYt8UpU2M97B3s

Summer vibes for the summer drives: a playlist

   When course selection rolls around, many PHS students look forward to picking interesting and challenging Advanced Placement (AP) classes, only to find that they’re not available. The College Board has 38 different AP tests, ranging from math to the arts. Many students take AP exams early on in their high school career in hopes of receiving more advanced instruction or to catch the eye of a top college by having a record of challenging classes. AP courses have a fast-paced curriculum, with a test to show mastery at the end. Passing these tests can give students a sense of accomplishment for their hard work.    
   While AP courses are intended for high schoolers, many freshmen in our school are only allowed to take a select few. Even if a student were to meet the prerequisites for these AP courses, they still can’t take them simply due to their grade, which entirely disregards the skill and potential these students have.
   Academically-driven students deserve to be able to access challenging courses to further enhance their learning. Students may not want to spend a whole year taking a course they are already familiar with, and they deserve the opportunity to skip ahead. Although these restrictions mainly come from a place of concern and desire to help underclassmen adjust to a high-pressure academic environment, many students are qualified and can take on the challenge. For example, in the case of AP Calculus BC, students at PHS are unable to skip a course even if they self studied and previously scored a five on the AP exam. Meanwhile, in other elite high schools, students can save a year of time by pursuing more advanced courses instead, should they be qualified to do so. 
   Blocking APs from underclassmen also  harms their participation in activities outside of school. Many extracurriculars require knowledge that students would only have the opportunity to properly learn in AP courses. This includes clubs such as Distributive Education Clubs of America, Euro Challenge, Model United Nations, debate, as well as business-related clubs that require skills taught in AP Macro-Microeconomics. 
   Additionally, many students in the Science Olympiad would also benefit  from  more  availability of science APs, such as biology, chemistry, and physics. Without access to these AP courses, students will simply turn to a different solution to enhance their academic knowledge: self-studying. However, self-studying an AP class can not only be extremely difficult for students in terms of effectively learning the content, but also in time management. This is especially the case for underprivileged students, who may not have the resources to acquire study aids and tutors, causing them to lag behind their more privileged peers in these extracurriculars. Rather than having underprivileged students struggle with difficult material to keep up, having equal opportunities for courses would level the playing field and alleviate mental stress for all students. 
    At the end of the day, PHS’s policies should strive to reflect the academic needs that much of our student body demonstrates. Our restrictiveness on AP courses is stifling the academic growth and potential of our underclassmen who are ready and eager to tackle more advanced material. By limiting access to these challenging courses, we not only hinder individual student achievement but also undermine the success of our extracurricular programs and competitive academic teams. Opening up AP courses to  qualified  freshmen  and  sophomores  would  provide equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their background, to not only excel academically but also thrive in their extracurricular pursuits. It is important that we reconsider these policies to foster a more inclusive and intellectually stimulating environment, instead of forcing everyone into mediocrity in the name of equity. 

AP restrictions: a plea for PHS’ s underclassmen

Deep breaths. Firm stance. Tight grip. As attackers rush towards her, Jocelyn Lee ’24 stands her ground, rallying the team to move as one. Despite the opposing team’s relentless attack, Lee steps up as captain and, using her grit and perseverance, leads the lacrosse team to victory.  
   Lee has always been a very athletic and competitive person. At a young age, she was trying out different sports, and eventually stuck with lacrosse in fifth grade. At first Lee played for fun, and then began to compete more. 
   “Lacrosse was just the [sport] that I liked the most,” said Lee. “All my friends did 
lacrosse, so it was really fun for me. It was more of a fun [activity] than a sport until high school, and then I got really competitive.” 
   After playing club lacrosse throughout middle school, Lee joined the PHS Varsity Lacrosse team her freshman year as a defender. Despite this achievement, Lee was frustrated after being left out of the starting lineup. However, her determination, hard work, and perseverance paid off in the end, and she’s become a vital asset to the team. 
   “I would go [at] the beginning of the season [and] I really had to work hard and show that I was ...  able to play ...  I ended up becoming a starter and I ...  had to work my way [up],” Lee said. 
   In women’s lacrosse, there are 10 players: a goalie, two attackers, three midfielders, and four defenders. While every position holds a key role, the team relies heavily on Lee and the rest of the defenders to stop the opposing team from scoring. 
   Assistant Varsity Coach Charles Gallagher of the girls lacrosse team recognized Lee’s skill, leadership and responsibility early on, and rates her as one of the most important players on the team. 
   “She’s a really solid player for us [and] leads our defensive unit. We have four to five girls on defense and she really takes great command,” said Gallagher. “As a group, [her] understanding of the game brings a lot of experience, [a lot of] really good, savvy lacrosse play to our program.”
   Little details, like predicting how the other team will score the ball, what formations they’ll use, and knowing how to counter them can drastically change the outcome of the match. As the team’s captain, organizing and encouraging fellow players is one thing, but teaching them to adapt to these details is a whole other challenge that comes with the role. Not everyone may be as experienced, so Lee takes care of everyone by ensuring they’re prepared to achieve a winning game.
   “Morale can get low if the other team is scoring a lot on us,” said Lee. “So a lot of times I try to raise people’s ... optimism and cheer them up.”
   Lee, acting as captain and defender, is a pillar of reliability for the team. Her teammate Samantha Henderson ’24 admires her communication skills and understanding of the game. 
   “She knows a lot about the sport and knows what feedback to give players [and] ... leads the defensive unit by example,” said Henderson. “She [also] communicates well and teaches others to do so too. She is a very strong defender and is very knowledgeable about what a good defense looks like.”
    With years of lacrosse under her belt and experience as a captain for the second year in a row, Lee’s stats are impressive. Last year, Lee achieved 41 forced turnovers, which is when a player forces the opposing team to lose the ball, the highest on the team. In addition, Lee was given the Unsung Hero award at a lacrosse conference. Most defensive players don’t get their names in the papers as much as midfielders or attackers; Lee’s reliability and skill earned her the award. Looking beyond her impressive statistics, Lee is equally successful because of her personality and character. 
   “I was always impressed with her dedication for the sport. She has always been kind and a supportive teammate. She is a great player and captain because she works really hard,” Henderson said. 
   Being both a model lacrosse player and encouraging mentor has often brought Lee and the team success, such as their win over West Windsor Plainsboro North High School during the beginning of the season. Both Lee and the team look forward to continuing their successful run with an amazing team lineup. 
   “I am feeling really great about our season and our team ... our defense had amazing [forced] turnovers that became great transitions and beautiful goals. Everyone worked together so well as a unit,” Henderson said. 
   While leading the team into a new exciting season, Lee looks forward to playing Division III lacrosse for Rochester Institute of Technology after graduation. Throughout the hardships and triumphs, Lee’s high school lacrosse experience has not only left her with cherished memories and friendships but has also equipped her with important lessons that will benefit her in college and beyond. 
   “[Lacrosse has] helped me to be more confident because on the field you’re forced to be loud and physical. It’s helped me [learn] leadership and how to be more outspoken,” said Lee. “Keep trying and working really hard because you’ll be able to build your way up.”

Jocelyn Lee '24: Lacrosse

From the University of Connecticut’s renowned women’s basketball team to Michigan’s football team, every college has a sports team that they’re known for. Duke University dominates men’s basketball with 19 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament titles. College football has seen an alltime high viewership, with 27.2 million viewers watching a gripping semifinal game between Michigan and Alabama.

With certain sports having such a huge presence around the world, there is bound to be some favoritism towards certain “elite” sports based on how much income they generate, which, when paired with frequent bias against players based on race, gender, or economic status, brings about a set of issues that have plagued college sports for centuries, tainting their history. So how did these issues wind up affecting colleges’ favorite sports?

Before the birth of college sports, sports were mostly viewed as hobbies or a form of physical exercise without any real competition behind them. In 1843, rowing clubs were the first to be made into competitive sports teams at Yale, and at Harvard a year later. In 1852, the first ever Yale-Harvard Regatta, a rowing race, was held, marking the beginning of college sports and long-term rivalries between prestigious colleges.

In the early twentieth century, it became apparent that colleges began to dominate certain sports. Harvard and Yale won national championships in football and continued their rivalry that persists to this day. Many others take great care to uphold the tradition mainly because of the attention these sports still receive today. As time went on, getting attention from the public became important for revenue, so colleges’ focus began to shift to revenue-generating sports. More athletic scholarships became available for traditionally popular sports like football and basketball. Similarly, in the 1970s, athletic grants-in-aid were mainly for sports such as swimming, track, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, and baseball. The sports with large fanbases, such as football, received the most funding; improving the quality of other sports would stress the budget of the athletic department. This problem persists today — supporting non-revenue generating sports is not a gamble athletic directors want to take, leading to insufficient funds, equipment, and training space for them. College students today resent revenue-generating sports that siphon support and resources away from their school activities. However, despite pouring millions of dollars into their preferred sports, many colleges still face financial issues if their sports don’t make a profit that year. This leads to schools increasing their athletic fees and even college tuition. Favoritism of collegiate sports not only impacts nonrevenue-generating sports, but favors athletes and students with higher incomes that bring more to the team than just athletic prowess.

In addition to financial issues, colleges have a long-standing problem with representation in sports. Historically, college varsity teams were made up of exclusively white wealthy men. Racial bias and prejudice motivated colleges to favor white male athletes who were able to contribute to the team financially. This changed in the 1960s, during the civil rights movement, when Texas Western’s all-Black team won the national basketball championship in 1966 against the University of Kentucky’s all-white team. This event was a turning point that signified an important shift in acceptance of Black athletes into collegiate sports, opening new opportunities for people of color across the board.

Similar progress was made, not just regarding race, but also gender, beginning with the Title IX legislation. This landmark legislation forbade discrimination based on gender, leveling the playing field in collegiate varsity teams. However, there is still a huge gap in financial support for women’s sports, which is typically due to lower viewership. This leads to underfunding and fewer athletic scholarships for female athletes.

Despite their complicated history of economic, racial, and gender discrimination, millions of people enjoy college sports today, whether they’re watching the latest football game with friends or chatting about a new basketball matchup. While modern college sports are miles more accepting than they used to be, they are still lacking in many areas. Race- and gender-based discrimination are still prevalent, and opportunities for the less economically fortunate are very limited. Although watching college sports is fun and a staple of American culture, it’s important to understand the history of these sports and fight against their elitist status to truly bring equality to one of America’s most beloved forms of entertainment.

Claire Yang's Work