Thursday, January 19, 2012

Badminton: by Peer Mentor Carmen Leung

The Lowell High School Badminton team is more amazing than any would have imagined. With a crew of extremely dedicated, determined, and motivated group of athletes, Lowell's Badminton team is one of the best in the city! They have won only first, second, or third place among all SFUSD schools in the past decade or so. Ms.Hosoda, the badminton team coach, trains the team in a way that fosters commitment, sportsmanship, team-bonding, and pushing oneself to his/her limit. The badminton team has recently turned from an all-girl's team to a co-ed team, inviting more opportunities for badminton players of both genders to join. Practices are often 1.5 to 2 hours long, five to six days a week, similar to most other sports. The badminton team strongly values relationships among team members and team-bonding, leading to many fun get-togethers outside of practice. As a result, the team in its entirety is much like one huge loving family. Players never hesitate to help one another out during drills, games, and even homework! Never will you meet a group of people that are more caring, fun-loving, and hardworking.  If you are looking for a sport to get fit while having fun, meet amazing new people, and become a more dedicated human being, Badminton is the sport for you!

Another Perspective on Track: by Peer Mentor Samantha Woo

Every year, around this time, I get pretty excited over one thing- TRACK SEASON IS ABOUT TO START! One thing that's great about the track team is that whether you're are talented or not, the team accepts you.  There are no tryouts and as long as you work hard and love to have fun (win too), everyone wholeheartedly accepts you.  The team is  my family outside of home because of all the bonding we do and the new friends I make every year.  This will be my seventh year competing on a team, but I still feel as if I have things I can improve in.  I did not start out as a great runner, but constantly strove to better myself with the help of my coaches and teammates.  There is always a competitive air when it comes to sports, but to me, I feel like that is really natural.  With friends and teammates surrounding me, it's impossible not to have fun and hone my skills so that we're always ready for the big day at the end of the year.  Track was a way to relieve my stress from school work and not go crazy from having to study all the time. (:   Saying from experience, I don't think I would have had as much fun at Lowell if I didn't have an activity that I could pour hours of devotion into.  Perhaps as new high-schoolers, you haven't found what you are passionate about, but finding it is pretty important to having a great time at this school. 

Track: by Peer Mentor William Frankel

Track:
My parents both ran track in high school, and to be honest I was forced to join against my will. At the beginning, I was a little bitter about running track, but after a few weeks I was completely hooked. Track is truly the sport for all people; there are running events, jumping events and throwing events so there is literally a place for everyone. There are also about 200 people in the track program, so no matter how hard you try, you are going to make some friends. Maybe the best part about track, is that it's co-ed so you get to meet lots of cute guys or girls. The coaches are all amazing, and the head coach Andy Leong has been coaching Lowell for more than 20 years and won almost all of those years. The track team is super tight, and it's a great way to get to know upper classmen and lower classmen who you might not have got to know just through your classes. Whether you want to win a city championship, make some new friends, have something to do after school, or get an awesome beach bod for the summer, track is the sport for you.

Football: By William Frankel

Football:
The summer before my freshman year, I got a call from Coach Chan asking me to come out and play football. I had played soccer all my life, and at first was apprehensive about switching to a different sport. I decided why not give it a shot, and so I came to the summer workouts. The summer workouts ease kids into the programming by teaching athletes how to run with technique, weight lift safely and the importance of stretching. All these skills are essential to any high school sport. I liked the intense and rewarding workouts, so I continued, and after a few weeks, I couldn't get enough. I came to Lowell having never played football, and barely even touched a football, and have played all three of my years and started my Sophomore and Junior years. It is one of the most amazing feelings in the world to play in the Battle of the Birds and see almost the entire school in the stands there cheering you on. The greatest part is you don't have to be big to play football! We have kids who are 5 feet tall and we have kids who are 6 feet tall, we have kids who are 100 pounds and kids who are almost 300 pounds. Football is truly a sport that anyone can participate it and enjoy here at Lowell, and it is a great way to make friends before school starts. I strongly recommend coming to a practice if you are even slightly interested, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Blog from Peer Mentor Annastasia Wong

“Do a good turn daily”—isn’t that what all Lowell service clubs strive for?   I think so.  Doing a good turn daily for yourself, for your neighbor, or for your community, no doubt, is what everyone should do.  And, that’s the Girl Scout (and Boy Scout) slogan.
Girl Scouts is the organization that has successfully transformed the way I think, learn, and view every single day.  This year, Girl Scouts is celebrating its 100th anniversary.  That is, one hundred years of serving girls. It is an organization for girls, by girls.  As we embark into a new century of scouting, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the globe are gearing up for yet another century of motivating and empowering female leaders in all fields.
“Leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do,” says Frances Hesselbein, former GSUSA CEO, and 1998 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.  The twenty-first century is the future for female leaders who posses courage, confidence, and character , who know that they CAN change the world.  Because, when you KNOW that you HAVE THE POWER to change something, most likely, you will.
Girl Scouts has transformed my definition of what it means to take action.  I hope it will for you, too.  Remember, you are the future.  I urge you to take action today.