On the 6th of Novem-ber the entire country

tuned in to watch the 2012 United States Election where President Barack Obama was re-elected for a second term by defeating the Republican Party presi-dential candidate Mitt Rom-ney in a contiguous race to the White House.

The results of a mock election held at Thacher displayed overwhelm-ing support for President Obama who received 139 votes (77.2%) out of the 198 votes that were cast by students. Mitt Romney ob-tained 42 votes (23.3%) and 18 students voted for a third party candidate.

In the actual national election, Obama won 332 electoral votes with 50.6% of the popular vote, while Romney was only able to garner 206 electoral votes with 47.8% of the popular vote. However, it was not an entirely unsuccessful night for the Republican Party. Al though P a u l R y a n l o s t h i s b i d f o r t h e

Vice

The Thacher NotesBy Ana Urgiles ‘13

2012 Election ResultsFrom the legalization of marijuana to a possible 51st state, the 2012 election

results suggest unexpected changes.

November 2012Vol. LXXXII No. 2

Thacher’s cell-phone policy:

yay or nay?

Pg. 3

T-Swizzle Review Pg. 3,6

Fall Sports Wrap-upPg. 7-8

Presidency, he still won the election which secured his Wisconsin House Seat. The GOP was also able to main-tain control of the House of Representatives, where they now hold 234 seats com-pared to the considerably lower number of 197 Dem-ocrats that are represented in the House. On the other hand, the Democrats hold continue to hold the major-ity in the Senate where, fol-lowing these elections, two more Democratic Senators will join, bringing up the total number of the Demo-crats to 53. It is clear that there will be much diver-gence in the government that is now split between a Democratic President, a Re-publican dominated House of Representatives, and a Democratic controlled Sen-ate.

It was also a victorious night for the LGBT commu-nity since voters in Wash-ington and Maine approved gay marriage, while Min-n e s o t a s t r u c k d o w n a con-s t i - t u -tion- a l l a w de-f i n -i n g m a r -

riage as a union between a man and a woman. In Wis-consin, the Democrat Tim-my Baldwin became the first openly LGBT member to be elected to the Senate.

Also making headlines was the legalization of mar-ijuana in Washington and Colorado. Now anyone over the age of 21 in these two states will be able to lawful-ly possess up to an ounce of cannabis. The enforcement of this new legislation will prompt serious debates over the next few months since the possession of pot is still considered unlawful under national law. As Colorado Governor John Hicken-looper said, "This is a com-plicated process, but we in-tend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don't break out the Chee-tos or goldfish too quickly."

Another surprising re-sult was that of the Puerto Rican referendum con-cerning the island’s polit-ical ties to the United States. This voting night was the first time that Puerto R i c a n s

vot-

e d in sup-

port of state-hood. A majority (54%) rejected the current situation of staying as a U.S. c o m m o n w e a l t h territory and in a separate ques-tion, 61% of vot-ers supported a legislation that would make Puerto Rico the 51st state. How-ever, there

are many re-ports indicating that these num-bers are skewed

and do not accurately rep-resent the will of the Puerto Rican population. Experts who have weighed in on the topic say that even if there were considerable support for this legislation, it is very unlikely that Puerto Rico will become a state until at least 2015.

Although 2015 might seem far away, it has not stopped many people from starting to make predictions for the next election in 2016. People like the Democratic Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Governor Chris Christie (R- NJ), Governor Marco Rubio (R- FL), and Governor Martin O’Malley (D- MD) have been consid-ered possible presidential nominees, but for now, we will have to wait and see how the nation reacts to the changes in power and to the

new regulations be-fore thinking about the next presiden-tial elections.

The Thacher Notes2 November 2012

The Thacher school prides itself on its abil-

ity to greet incoming stu-dents with its ever famil-iar sign on the first day of school, reading “the happi-est place on earth.” But with such a bold statement come high standards to meet. The Independent School Gen-der Project (ISGP) survey provides solid evidence to support this claim, year af-ter year.

The ISGP survey is a col-lection of questions pertain-ing to student perceptions of health and wellness related issues on boarding school campuses. The survey ranks schools in a number of dif-ferent categories on a scale of A through C. In 2009, Thacher received 6 A’s and no C’s from the study, claiming the top spot out of the 23 boarding schools sur-veyed. The 2011 survey re-sults conformed to the pat-tern, issuing Thacher 18 A’s and no C’s.

Thacher students are es-pecially aware of health and wellness issues prominent in this day and age.Whether it be through dorm meetings or Human Relations and Sexuality (HR&S) semi-nars, students are always encouraged to engage in discussion with each other to address the more sensi-tive topics they face in their lives.

Sabina McMahon, Dean of Students, said, “We try to have many discussions indi-vidually and in groups about health and wellness so that each student has as much information as they can so they can make healthy deci-sions.”

Ana Urgiles, a current senior, attended the ISGP

Conference held at The Hotchkiss School this sum-mer, along with a number of other students and fac-ulty members. The purpose of conference was to call attention to the impact of women’s portrayal in the media and strengthen the at-tendees voices in their own communities.

Urgiles described that the other students attend-ing the conference were as “eager to discuss topics such as gender issues that we may face at independent schools” as she was.

“It definitely made me aware of the challenges that women have faced for de-cades and continue to face today,” she added.

The ISGP survey results simply restate what our school already knows, that Thacher students are not only aware of the issues they face, but have worked through solutions with one another and determined how to approach them.

Ranging from general health to social pressure, the ISGP survey questions provide an extensive and varied foundation of raw information from which to draw conclusions. Thacher received the highest pos-sible marks in the category that focused on pressure of all kinds, including both academic and social.

From these results it can be deduced that Thacher students are free of the pres-sure to experiment with tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or sexual activity. Without these pressures, Thach-er lacks a distinct “fast-crowd,” or a “popular” so-cial group. Students are free to be themselves and try

new things that will benefit themselves rather than do harm.

Similarly, Thacher re-ceived high praise in the category that addressed per-ceptions of respect on cam-pus.

Dean of Students, Sa-bina McMahon, said “Be-cause students feel such a high level of comfort on our campus, they are more like-ly to be who they really are and go after what’s interest-ing to them, without being mired with worry that their peers will criticize them. It’s incredibly freeing.”

The combination of a pressure-free environment and an accepting student body creates the the ideal place for students to grow and think on their own, free of judgement and worry. The cultivation of such an attitude is incredibly rare in the high school medium, providing Thacher students with a significant advantage during these highly influen-tial years.

The skills acquired during a student’s Thacher career are vital to leading a happy and healthy life. As long as a students are not worrying about what is “cool” and what others think, they can focus on what really matters and work towards achiev-ing true happiness. The re-sults of these surveys do a tremendous job of accredit-ing Thacher’s reputation as “the happiest and healthiest place on earth,” while bring-ing to the school’s attention just how lucky we are.

ISGP Results Reaffirm Thacher’s Unity

By Sydney Wilder ‘15

The Nobel Committee will officially award the

European Union the Nobel Peace Prize this December. The EU is a collection of 27 European nations, unit-ed by a common currency, working together to create international political and economic policies. The lin-gering question is, did the EU really deserve such a prestigious award?

Those supporting the de-cision argue that the EU has achieved an incredible feat in terms of international amnesty by uniting Europe.

Dr. DelVecchio argues that the EU’s incredible ability to unite Europe mer-its the award: “What Europe needed and failed to ac-complish after WWI was to bring Germany and France together. The EU has ac-complished this to the point where a war between those two nations is now unthink-able. But the EU has done even more: it has brought Greece, Portugal and Spain, now democracies, into the

fold.”Prior to the end of World

War II, Europe spent cen-turies tearing itself apart. France and Germany were bitter enemies keen to over-see the other’s downfall. The EU unified Europe and transformed France and Germany’s relationship into a powerful alliance; con-flicts once resolved on the battlefield are now resolved diplomatically. Additional-ly, the EU has ensured basic human rights and fair trade to all of its member states.

Mr. Carney reasons that the award is not only de-served but is also a state-

By Taylor Bacon ‘15

Unjustified Nobel Prizement of hope for the future: “Similar to the Nobel Com-mittee recognizing Presi-dent Obama in 2009 after only a brief stint in office, this choice appears to be built, at least partially, on hope of what can be accom-plished. And hope is what is needed right now given Eu-rope’s current economic cri-sis, particularly with regard to Greece.”

Many argue that the Eu-ropean Union has earned the peace prize by ensuring the rights of millions and creating a strong and stable union in Europe. Others ar-gue that the EU can hardly be credited with the peace in Europe. During the Cold War, it was NATO that pre-vented any physical con-flict. Moreover, the EU isn’t maintaining peace. The crumbling economy has led to large-scale civilian protests and left Germany and Greece clawing at each other’s throats. The ideolo-gy of a common currency is failing in reality and the EU

is falling to pieces. Those unhappy with the decision to award the EU the prize believe the European Union hardly deserves a peace prize when it is on the verge of splitting up.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (left) receives flowers from Norway’s Ambassador to the Europe-an Union, Atle Leikvoll to celebrate the Nobel Peace Prize.http://news.yahoo.com/nobel-peace-prize-could-dissidents-eu-reli-gious-leaders-000634747.html

As cellphones have vast-ly evolved over the past 10 years, perhaps it is time that Thacher evolves its policy regarding their use.

Students and Mr. Mul-ligan have recognized the notion that cell phones have become much more than a simple communication de-vice. The ability to access internet, e-mail, calendars, reminders, and apps have transformed cell phones into “smart-phones,” or as Mr. Mulligan regarded them, “small computers.”

The advancement of cell phone technology poses the following question for Thacher: should students be allowed to carry their cell phones daily if they are be-ing used as helpful tools?

One thing all members on this community can agree on is the beauty of work-ing at or attending an insti-tution like Thacher. We do not witness kids walking around campus talking into cellphones, something that could greatly degrade from the school’s beauty.

Cellphones For More Than Communication

By Leo Turpan ‘13

The Thacher Notes

Editors-in-ChiefIrene LimbAna Urgiles

Managing EditorSandy Ballou

AdvisorsBonnie LaForge

Joel Sohn

StaffTaylor Bacon

Inga ConynghamOlivier Domergue

Wallace KalkinJean Li

Marissa LopezLeo Turpan

Sydney Wilder

Teaching chairs are more than nicely carved,

wooden chairs that are giv-en to stellar teachers. They are financial endorsements given to those teachers who have demonstrated excel-lence in their respective fields of expertise. Estab-lished in 1986 as a part of the Centennial Campaign, these awards are formally called the Jerome H. Beren-son Faculty Incentive Chair, The Phillip Bard CdeP 1917 Great Teacher Chair in Science, and the Bonnie Moon Robinson Chair, and were presented to Dr. Sarah DelVecchio, Dr. Chris Vyh-nal, and Mrs. Joy Sawyer- Mulligan, respectively.

1Stop calling home all the time.

2. Use your homesickness as an excuse to write let-ters (the old fashioned way) to family and friends back home. Tell them to write you back and discover the delight of receiving real mail. 3. Remember that home-sickness is only temporary. 4. Use it as an opportunity to think fondly of your sib-lings… 5. Take comfort in fatty foods (much more effective with a friend.) 6. If mucking reminds you of the comforts at home, remember: you’re building character.7. Talk to your prefect. 8. Stay busy. Do anything to avoid thinking too much.9. “If you don’t have a friend, be a friend.” –Mr. Mulligan10.Your home will always be there to go back to.

Overview of the Teaching

Chairs

Top Ten Strategies for Coping with Homesickness

It has been hard to escape the sweet voice of this

girl on campus this year. It seems like few people have been unaffected by the much anticipated release of Taylor Swift’s new album Red in late October. Chanc-es are you and your EDT buddies were singing “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” this fall to pass the time on a long hike or heard Reed Gulick-Stutz and Jackson Dolphin’s ren-dering of “Begin Again” at Coffee House. I know I’ve heard the dubstep-influ-enced “I Knew You Were Trouble” blasting from at least six different rooms in Upper School. I heard that there was even a “Red-themed” munch-out in the Courts recently.

Speaking of “Trouble,” that track was a surprise coming from Swift, who has always released country

Taylor Swift Back,

Transformed

Cont. pg 6

The Thacher Notes3 November 2012

Therefore, how can Thacher condone the use of cellphones around campus? There is no way to truly monitor a student’s activi-ties on his or her cellphone. But we are all too familiar with the temptation to an-swer an incoming call or

text message; it can be too great to pass-up.

However, there is no doubt that cell phones have their benefits. For example, they serve as alarms to keep a plethora of couples from being JC’ed each night as they scramble to their dorms

from their evening walks. A senior may remember an important senior exhibition meeting because of the re-minder set on the phone. Or a student could capture the exquisite Ojai sunset to marvel at for years to come with a phone.

So in conclusion, because the line drawn between a helpful tool and an exces-sive commodity is fuzzy, it may take some time be-fore we can revise anything about our cell phone policy.

hope to provide a little bit of home.

You definitely do. I’m sure you’ve noticed how peo-ple rush to your cookies. What do you think makes them so special?Oh, just lots of love and chocolate chips. That will do it.

So next time you bite into one of those exquisite cook-ies or brownies remember that they are made with much affection and care from Thacher’s one and only, Robin Riley.

Robin’s cookies. We’ve all had the fortune

of tasting these culinary masterpieces, but just like Avery from Avery’s Fruit Stand, you might be won-dering who Robin is. Robin Riley, a California native, has been baking delicacies at Thacher for 11 years. She makes the morning pastries, bread for formal dinner, and the mouth watering desserts for lunch and dinner. I chat-ted with Ms. Riley about Thacher, her upbringing, and her culinary secrets.

Where did you grow up?I grew up in Los Angeles. I’m a California native. I moved up to Ojai about 15 years ago.

What are your favorite desserts to make? Well, I love making des-serts that are associated with cultural traditions. Just last week when it was Dia de Los Muertos, making the sugar skulls was really fun. I love food as an insight into cultural anthropology. I don’t have a specific favor-ite dessert.

What are some of your hobbies or interests?I love to hike. We fortu-nately live in Ojai, which is a beautiful place to hike. I do pottery for a hobby, and I like to dance and I like to travel.

Have you taken formal cu-linary classes or are your creations mostly original or family recipes? I went to culinary school in Los Angeles, L.A. Technical School, and then I served an apprentice-ship in a hotel. I worked for some celebrity chefs, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. Mary Sue’s mom was a pastry chef and she mentored me. I be-came the pastry chef when she left.

RobinRiley

By Ana Urgiles ‘13

The Thacher Notes4 November 2012

Did you always want to be a baker from when you were very young?I look back on it now and I can see from the age of 12 that I really loved to bake. I was al-ways the one in the fam-ily making things and it wasn’t until I was in my mid twenties that I thought about what I re-ally wanted to do. I love food and I love how peo-ple appreciate it so that’s when I thought, “that’s what I’m going to do”. I went into the culinary field to be a chef and then the pastry part became a natural progression.

What is your schedule like at Thacher? What time do you come in and what time do you leave?I work from 4:30 am to 1:00 pm. Early morning are baker’s hours. I am here the earliest.

What would you advise aspiring bakers? I would say immerse your-self in baking. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself, don’t be afraid to fail, but learn from your failures. Analyze what did not work and talk to people. You don’t have to have formal train-ing; I know chefs who never did, but they always listened and were willing to learn. Food in general is a lifetime t h i n g .

There’s a never ending ar-ray of things about food you can learn.

Let’s say it’s your birth-day. What would you like someone to make for you?Well, because I bake for a

living, I try not to be too hard to please. I ap-

preciate the effort. I like simple things. I would be happy if someone made me

a crème brulée for my birthday or an ice cream

parfait with yummy, gooey brownies. I appreciate the effort and I know it can

intimidating. No one in my family ever makes birthday cakes for me.

I haven’t had a birthday cake for about 30 years.

Is there anything else I can ask you that will help us get a better insight into who Robin Riley is? Have I missed something that is very important to you?About working at Thacher, I can say how it’s so impor-tant to me to get feedback from all of the students, what your likes and dis-likes are. I love that for the most part everyone is happy with the baked goods. It’s very nurturing to me. I feel like a surrogate mom mak-ing cookies and things like that that everyone likes. Comfort food. I know its hard because a lot of the students don’t see their par-ents on a regular basis be-cause they’re here and I just

Community Spotlight

Ms. Riley makes a banana cake with meringue toping, one of her countless desserts that students devour on a daily basis.

The Thacher community has always put an em-

phasis on its art program, and while students take advantage of these oppor-tunities, whether in the the-ater or the studio, we must still recognize those who have taught us how to ap-ply a knowledge of beauty instead of just appreci-ate it. Mr. John Bueti, the woodshop teacher, is such a teacher.

Mr. Bueti’s passion in wood design began when he built a house with his

John Bueti

Top: Mr. Bueti examines the Table of the Mountain Dream-er, a collaboration piece with Dennis Shives. Below: The table shows intricate detail work and the peaks seem like they are piercing the table surface.

The Thacher Notes5 November 2012

wife, Allie, and her father, who he describes as, “an intriguing fellow who was part entrepreneur, part en-gineer/builder/inventor, and in terms of my career, the biggest influence.” With the inspiration from this proj-ect, Mr. Bueti attended the North Bennet Street School in Boston, and later opened a woodshop where he built custom cabinetry and furni-ture.

Despite the remarkable beauty inherent in wood-work, Mr. Bueti considers

his compositions something different from art, “I have never desired to be an art-ist and have never thought of myself as one. To me an artist is someone who seeks to depict the world in a way that has not previously been done. That is not what inter-ests me most about wood-working. My primary ob-jective as a woodworker is to make things to the best of my ability; [things] that will stand the test of time and be enjoyed and appreciated by the people that I make them for.”

His recent collabora-tion with Dennis Shives on the Table of the Mountain Dreamer emphasizes the skill and elegance of his compositions.

Inside the woodwork-ing studio, Mr. Bueti shows a high regard for both his students and his work, em-bodying the balanced rela-tionship of teacher to stu-dent to work.

He offers an un-biased view on art produced by various ages, “I don’t think that teaching art to high school students is significant-ly differ-ent from t e a c h -ing art to other age g r o u p s . I believe that inter-est and d e s i r e m a t t e r s more than age. The students who take my class are there because

they want to be there; this factor, combined with the small class size, makes for a great working environ-ment.”

Mr. Bueti’s work displays a relationship with the wil-derness that inspires each one of his students. His class gives them the ability to take something found in nature and define it as their own.

On the range of concepts of woodwork, Mr. Bueti says, “Kids are supported and encouraged by their peers and their teachers so they are not afraid to take r i s k s and to c h a l -l e n g e t h e m -s e l v e s . As a

result we get a large variety of projects in the woodshop that reflect the character and vision of the students who make them.”

Mr. Bueti’s passion in woodwork and exceptional teaching inspires students to expand their relationship with nature and encourages them to broaden their views of beauty in the wilderness.

By IngaConyngham

‘15

Community Spotlight

or at least pop-rock sound-ing singles since her self-titled debut album. Now on album number four, she dives headfirst into synth-driven Euro-pop with “Trouble,” “Never Ever” and the cut “22.” In fact, these songs were produced by the same people who formulated songs like “Tik Tok” by Ke$ha and “Cali-fornia Gurls” by Katy Per-ry. While some say she has lost touch with her roots, I personally applaud Swift’s daring exploration into new sonic territory

The genre-bending smash singles on Red have indeed attracted much attention, but it would not be fair to say that there aren’t any great country songs on the record. “Begin Again,” the first country radio-oriented sin-

Taylor SwiftBack, Transformed

cont.

By Olivier Domergue ‘13

Taylor Swift performs many of her new songs live on “Good Morning America,” October 23. http://www.broadrippletickets.com/blog/category/concerts/

Fall 2012 Sports FinaleThe Thacher Notes6 November 2012

gle from the album, the title track, and “Everything Has Changed” (feat. Ed Sheer-an) are among the standout country songs.

Overall this newest re-cord not only proves that Taylor Swift is going stron-ger than ever, but also that she is a much more diverse and talented artist than many people had thought.

Based on the response within the Thacher commu-nity and around the country, where Swift’s album sold a record 1.21 million copies in its first week, I think most people would agree with me that Taylor Swift has suc-ceeded once again.

Every afternoon, a group composing of fun-lov-

ing and hardworking young ladies gathers on the up-per and lower courts. The Thacher tennis tradition has been alive for years, and this year, both teams have come with their game-faces on and ready to play.

With coaches Mr. Peter Fagan (varsity) and Mr. Ja-son Carney (junior varsity), the teams have improved tremendously while having “more fun than any other team,” as Nu Xiong ‘13 claims. Whether that is true or not, it is obvious that the tennis girls share a love for the sport.

On the lower courts, Mr. Carney fondly referred to as “Carnitas” or the “Silver Wizard” gets the junior var-sity (JV) tennis girls excited and adds a competitive flare to the practices by offering anyone who outplays him a delicious Ruben’s burrito.

The atmosphere on the lower courts is “relaxed, yet the improvement of the players is evident,” adds Ana Urgiles ‘13.

The JV squad consists of girls who have played the sport previously as well as novices who are just start-ing to learn how to play the sport with the help of Mr. Carney’s enthusiasm and humor. The senior captains of the JV team, Ana Urgiles ‘13, Brisha Howe ‘13, Sar-ah Ratsimbazafy ‘13, and Nu Xiong ‘13 unanimously agree that Mr. Carney is a fantastic coach. He is truly invested in the girls’ im-provement and the Thach-er Tennis program is very lucky to have a coach like Mr. Carney.

Moving to the upper courts, the varsity tennis team is also a menace to be dealt with. Through their hard work, they were able to make it to the pre-lim-inaries and always smiled whether they won or lost.

Led by Kelsey Hartman ‘12 and Shelby Luce ‘12, the captains call their team persevering and focused on fun and improvement. The varsity coach, Mr. Fagan is dedicated to the players. Residents of the Courts Dor-mitory can attest to this as they often see him on Sat-urdays and Sundays morn-ings on the courts working with players. The captains and Mr. Fagan make a ter-rific trio and although the captains will be leaving us, they can be sure the team will continue the legacy of hard work and excellence.

The Thacher community congratulates the junior var-sity and varsity tennis teams on a hard fought and inspi-rational season. The junior varsity tennis players would like to recognize: Nu Xiong ‘12 as their most valuable player, Sarah Ratsimba-

zafy ‘13 as their most in-spirational player, and Ann Han ‘15 and Jillian Elkin ‘14 as their most improved players. By vote, the var-sity tennis team has elected the following people to be publicly recognized: Grace Bingham ‘15 as the most valuable player, Joanna Knutsen ‘14 as most im-proved and Auden Ehringer ‘14 and Shelley Vohr ‘14 as captains for the 2013 varsity tennis season.

Cassie James ‘15 gets ready to hit a forehand.

By Marissa Lopez ‘15

Girl’s Tennis TeamsDemonstrate Superb Teamwork

Fall 2012 Sports FinaleA journey of a thousand

miles begins with a sin-gle step. For cross country runners, this isn’t just met-aphorical. Each time they step onto the course, they start a journey that they can-not take back.

Led by Fred Coleman, affectionately known as “Derf” to most, the cross-country team has flour-ished. With Derf’s 44 years of running experience and the spirit and enthusiasm of each and every student involved, cross-country is anything but dull. As Derf says, “Miracles happen [and] lives are completely transformed just by putting one foot in front of another.”

So why exactly do the runners bother to keep run-ning in the midst of yet an-other muggy afternoon in Ojai? There’s no clear rea-son. Novice runners find themselves somehow drawn to the sport, not knowing ex-actly why. As Isobel Hayne ‘14 said her first year run-ning at Thacher, “There’s just something about it.”

The intricacies of the sport do not end there. The sport is special in countless ways. Arianna Finger ‘15 describes it with ease stat-ing, “I just feel free when I run.” Hayne also adds, “I think [what is] most impor-tant is the feeling you get when you run with a team. Our team this year is awe-some and it’s mostly be-cause we push each other and want to do well.”

The simplicity of cross-country (really, just putting one foot in front of another) is possibly the most amaz-ing aspect of the sport. Cap-tain Justin Myles ‘13 notes, “One of the great things about training with the cross country team is that it’s a great equalizer. The pain you feel when you’re giving 100% on a hard day is the same pain Usain Bolt feels

Cross Country Dominates

By Jean Li ‘16

The Thacher Notes7 November 2012

when he’s giving 100% on a hard day. The workout is different and you’re obvi-ously slower than Bolt, but the feeling is the same. And how you respond to that

feeling means everything.”So what happens when

it comes to a race, where it is no longer just stepping forward but trying to go faster? How do the runners

feel about running then? It seems that all runners have an unsurprisingly similar reaction. As Spencer Mc-Cune says, “Very nervous.” Hayne provides words of

wisdom for those who are tense right before a race. “Everyone is feeling the same pain and nerves and excitement, and as soon as I remember that, I stop be-ing nervous and start getting excited.”

The cross-country team joined up one more time in front of the Pergola to bid their senior members a farewell. At the same time, they presented awards for the most valuable runner, most improved novice run-ner, most improved veteran runner, and most inspiration runner. Melanie Reimer and Simon Novich were voted the most valuable runners for the girls’ and boys’ team respectively. Mahogany Monette and Liam Carpen-ter-Urquhart were voted the most improved novice run-ners. Hutton Becker and Alexander Zaldastani were voted the most improved veteran runners. Finally, Mahogany Monette, Justin Myles, and Shravan Ra-jasekaran were voted the most inspirational runners. As a wrap up to the season, the cross-country team also decided on their new cap-tains for the coming year: Isobel Hayne and Simon Novich.

Whether it is just a trail run through the mountains or a sprint for the finish, there is something irre-placeable about the run. As John Bingham said, “The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” Put one foot in front of another. Don’t give up. Go and join the cross country team.Top: Captain Justin Myles ‘13 leads the boys cross country team as they warm up for the

race.Bottom: Julianna Childs ‘13, Arianna Finger ‘15, and Melanie Reimer ‘13 lead the race.

The Thacher Notes8 November 2012

Fall 2012 Sports Finale cont.

Thacher football soared to incredible

heights this season, achiev-ing a record of 9 wins and 2 losses. Although the ob-vious explanation for this record is simply a fantastic team, it would appear that there were a multitude of other factors that influenced the team’s runaway success.

As a former football player myself, I can attest to the extreme amount of time and effort that every player must put forward that they might bring the most to the team. Unlike some other Thacher sports, the longev-ity and success of the team as a whole relies heavily on every individual pulling their own weight (and then some, as is often the case).

The only way for this sort of mindset to endure is through fantastic leader-ship, by coach and player alike. Coach Hooper says “The leadership was out-standing, as we have come to expect from our seniors”. This leadership helped build upon a team that was al-ready “confident, enthusias-tic, and unified throughout”. Senior Leo Turpan says “I think football is the best sport to play at Thacher be-cause everything revolves

around being a team, and Coach Hooper does a fan-tastic job of fostering that team bond.”

That said, there were cer-tainly a few factors other than terrific teamwork that helped push the football team so far. There were “an unusual number of experienced players re-t u r n i n g ” , which is an obvious blessing in a school where students almost always leave as soon as they be-

gin playing close to their true potential. The team also had a “very produc-tive preseason”, which from my experience means they worked their tails off in Hell Week (err... “Team Week”).

S o m e highlights of the season include: an away victo-ry at Faith-B a p t i s t , which has been a tough game his-torically, as

well as resounding victories over Joshua and Calvary Baptist. Although the loss at

home again Cate was a bit tough to swallow, the team was obviously able to band together and bounce back even better than before.

Never one to dwell on past victories, though, Coach Hooper is already looking forward to next season. In his words, “Each season builds on the ones before it and all those who contributed this year have helped to build a stronger foundation for next year. We’re excited to get that un-derway.”

“The leadership was outstand-

ing...”

Coach Hooper

By Sandy Ballou ‘13

Coach Hooper Takes Football to a New Level

Guess who? Send your answers to the-notes@thacher.org!

Thach- Match