November 19, 2014

Feature

Horseback riders hop into the saddle

By MADALENE SCHORR
and CARMEN VESCIA
Staff Reporter and Managing Editor
Saddles, boots, reins, bridles, grooming, mucking stalls, feeding, vet visits,
competitions and countless hours. All of
this makes up daily life for competitive
horseback riders sophomore Rosie Harkola and senior Livia Richards.
They each have a horse and compete
multiple times per year against other
young riders from around the state.
Harkola has been riding with her
current horse for just six months, while
Richards bought her horse a year and
half ago.
Its all about the partnership. Thats
basically most of it for most riders, I
think. Theyre all there because they love
the horse,Livia Richards said.
Harkola has been riding for seven
Photos courtesy of Livia Richards
years. She rides an average of 2-6 hours Senior Livia Richards has been riding since 14 and owns her own horse.
per day at Webb Ranch in Portola Valley
bought her horse, while Harkola focuses because you have this half ton animal,
and works out to stay in riding shape.
I wish people knew how difficult it on three day eventing which includes and you dont have a clear idea of how
theyre going to behave out there, Richis because so many people think its not jumping, cross country and dressage.
Cross country involves and jumping ards said. You have to be prepared.
a sport and youre not doing anything.
Richards and her horse travel to about
To actually be a good rider, you have to over a natural course, and dressage infive competitions during the year, often
be extremely physically fit and take time cludes the horses footwork and style.
Out of all three events, Richards finds causing her to miss Fridays at school.
to understand the animal, Harkola said.
It can be stressful. I do spend a decross country the most challenging yet
You dont get a break with riding.
cent
amount of time doing homework at
Richards, who started at the age of rewarding.
Its exciting, but you also get nervous shows, Richards said. The bad thing is
14, started competing just before she

Junior sets up for success

with male volleyball club
ways motivated him to find time to play,
but this spring, his season ended early
when he injured his knee.
After rehab and therapy, he tried to
The ball is served and clears the return but discovered he needed surgery
net, flying straight towards the middle for a torn meniscus in his knee that had
of the court. I got it, I got it! calls flipped and was causing the bones to
his teammate. A perfect pass. Junior grind together.
Vaughn White looks up to see it dropTheres nothing worse than going to
ping straight down towards him. He something you want to do and then just
takes a deep breath.
watching, he said.
He hears his teamItching to get back
mate yelling and, Theres nothing worse than goto on the court, White
with steady hands, ing to something you want to do went to physical therhe flicks the ball into and then just
apy for his knee. He
the air. His team- watching.
just recently returned
mate springs up and
Vaughn White, junior to competing when he
slams the ball. Point,
successfully tested out
Kamikaze.
his knee at a tournaWhite inherited his love for volleyball ment.
from his parents, who met playing in
White plays for the badminton team
college. He began competing three years for school sports credit. He and a group
ago when he discovered Kamikaze.
of friends who asked if the school could
Its not as difficult doing stuff with create a boys volleyball team discovered
the ballyou learn how to bump, hit that because there must be an equal
and set pretty early on[as it is] learn- number of boys and girls team, it wasnt
ing where you need to be, where other possible.
people are going to be, and building
Whites bond with his teammates and
connections with teammates [comes the excitement of competition motivates
with time] White said.
him to continue playing despite the time
Whites team often has to travel far commitment and the hard work necesfor competition because there arent sary to recover after his injury.
many mens clubs in the area.
I think when you really work to get
You either drive up the night before a point, and everybody is really trying
and stay in a hotel, or you get up at 3 their hardest and you can tell everyin the morning and drive to these tour- body is trying their hardest...when you
naments that are four hours away some- have that moment, when the ball finally
times, White said.
lands, and you finally get the point its
Whites passion for volleyball has al- really gratifying, White said.
By MADALENE SCHORR AND
CARMEN VESCIA
Staff Reporter and Managing Editor

that my horse usually comes before my

homework.
Harkola also faces the challenge of balancing riding and school and sometimes
wakes up early to ride before school or
doesnt get home from the ranch until its
dark, but she claims its worth it.
She and her mom share the horse and
the responsibilities that go along with it,
and Harkola believes riding has taught
her important skills she can apply to all
aspects of her life.
What Ive learned from it is patience
because youre working with this gigantic animal, Harkola said.
Sometimes its annoying to ask them
for something and [have them] not
know what you want because they cant
understand you.
She hopes to continue riding in the
future and join an eventing team in college, possibly bringing her horse with
her.
For both girls, bonding with their
horses is the highlight of riding and
keeps them motivated, even when life
gets crazy.
The hardest part right now is to come
out after school, said Richards. You
cant get lazy on them and give them 50
percent. They definitely deserve to get
100 percent whenever you ride them. It
is definitely a commitment, but you do
it because its still a lot of fun.

Student athletes balance

school and sport in hopes
of getting recruited
said, but if the coach likes me, he
can help support me get in.
Since only about 6 percent of
Emails. Calls. Official visits. high school athletes end up playUnofficial visits. Videos. Face-to- ing in college, training is often not
face contacts. Evaluations. Eligi- enough.
bility. Dedicated student athletes
Athletes must also advertise
go through all these steps, often themselves to colleges if they hope
numerous times, trying to get to be recruited.
recruited by colI probably talked
leges.
with 40-50 coaches
Anything you do can
C o l l e g i a t e be evaluated and thats over the phone. It was
sports are increas- kind of scary.
crazy, said senior Aningly competitive
Ben Ladabaum, gela Hudelson, who
as more athletes
junior has accepted a 4-year
get involved with
full-ride scholarship to
their sport at a very early age.
play volleyball at a small college
Ive been training my whole in New York. I would be sending
life to try to get a scholarship be- emails all the time. It was a lot of
cause we cant afford the money work.
to go to college, junior football
To regulate college interactions
player Alani Pohahau said.
with high school athletes, the NaWith so much time devoted tional Collegiate Athletic Associato sports, homework and other tion developed an extensive set of
school-related activities must be guidelines for recruiting. These
fit in wherever they can.
rules dictate when coaches are alIt has to be school and foot- lowed to call, email, or contact
ball, Pohahau said. You dont athletes. However, these rules are
really have time for other stuff.
constantly changing and are often
On the flip side, some athletes slightly different for each sport.
use sports to get into a better Even the athletes to which the
academic college than they oth- rules apply do not always undererwise would have. Senior Ben stand the guidelines.
Hagenau is looking to row at a
I still dont know all the rules,
competitive academic college.
junior, Ben Ladabaum, an aspirUniversity of Pennsylvania is ing collegiate soccer player, said.
a reach school for me, Hagenau I dont know if I ever will.
By REBEKAH WESTERLIND
Staff Reporter