“My main philosophy in practice is to practice technique” 

Tsorin, a native-born Russian and admitted Communist, has brought over tactics and training from the old country. No Bulshevik.

Take practice, for example. Some days Tsorin begins by making players run an obstacle course involving inverted butterfly stretches, crawling the stairs of Anderson Stadium, jumping nets, climbing fences, and reciting Tsorin’s adaptation of the Soviet National Anthem: “Союз нерушимый республик свободных Сплотила навеки Великая Русь, Да здравствует созданный волей народов Единый, могучий Советский Союз! (translation: We fought for the future, destroyed the invadors, and brought to our homeland the aroma of factories for the common good!) 

Long live our (‘tennis’ or ‘soccer’) motherland, built by Tsorin’s mighty hand. Long live our people, united and free. Strong in our friendship, tried by fire. Long may our crimson flag inspire, Shining in glory for nobody to see.”

The last lyric has drawn criticism by some Dons who are offended at Tsorin’s frustration from lack of attendance at soccer and tennis matches.
rooting against the Chivas soccer team, and running lots of stadium laps, Rocky style.

Tsorin has risen to the top thanks to his brutal, ruthless Soviet ways.

All of this is done with a tennis racquet (or a ball for soccer). An anonymous tennis player explained the significance of the racquet. “Day 1, you are given racquet. You are taught, never let go of racquet, not when you eat, you sleep. Racquet is your mother, sister, brother, significant other… and it can hit ball as well.”

For the final day of tryouts, Tsorin takes everyone on a “field trip”, drops them off in the middle of the desert, and has them find their way back to Coronado. Those who find their way back make the team. “That is tryout, huh!” said the anonymous tennis player.

Those who displease the man of net will chase chickens that are running amuck nearby Coronado to “Upgrade stamina and agility, not just in legs, but in heart.”

Question his methods all you want but they appear to be effective. Soccer went to the playoffs.  At press time Boys tennis is ranked sixth in 4A-II State.

Preview- This movie is looking to be one of the hit movies of the Spring movie season. Although it comes out today, most movie goers, like myself, will have already seen it seven hours ago. The movie stars Aaron Eckhart ( The Dark Knight), Michelle Rodriguez ( Avatar), and Ne-Yo ( yeah i know right?). The movie is simply about one thing, a battle between hostile aliens and courageous humans. It has a great cast with a lot of room for great action and acting. With a big budget film like this, there is no way it can be a disappointment.

Reid’s (predicted) Grade- B

2. Rango- March 4th, 2011

Who knew that an awkward chameleon could make such a killing at the box office. In its first weekend out, Rango racked up an impressive 38 million, taking first place for the weekend. However, it isn’t that surprising. Anything Johnny Depp breathes on makes millions. The movie is about Rango, a chameleon by day, nothing else by night. Rango stumbles upon the city of Dirt and suddenly becomes their new Sheriff. The movie is shaping up to be the first hit of the year and with Pirates Of the Caribbean 4 coming out, Depp is mastering another fantastic year.

From a technical standpoint, a recent report by the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHSTA) identifies three main types of distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive.

Visual distraction involves “taking your eyes off the road,” manual distraction occurs when drivers “[take] your hands of the wheel” and cognitive distraction involves “taking your mind off what you’re doing.”

“but ive txtd b4 and am ok,” you say? Use your logic and lose that adolescent machismo. My brother Joey used to use the same argument to justify not wearing seatbelts: “It hasn’t happened to me.”

My brother Jonas (Joey) Gerchick as a high school freshman. He was nicknamed "Joey the Kid" because of his sense of adventure and constant sense of humor. Nearly 6 feet tall and 175 pounds and never one to back down from a challenge, Joey thought wearing a seatbelt wasn't a big deal.

Just as your parents were once your age, I understand you’re under social pressure to be cool and tough in your peers’ eyes. If something “phazes” you,  peers may see you as weak and if you don’t drive fast, peers may see you as uncool.

Before moving, you may not put on your seatbelt because it makes you look soft or, when moving, some express emotion by screetching their tires when exiting the student parking lot. Ask yourself this: Is it worth being “hard” as a pedestrian Don gets run over because you had to “be a ‘BA’” with a 1-ton moving weapon? Well is it?

On the other end of the collision, Officer Hathaway noted that “being in the crosswalk doesn’t put you in a force field.”  If you walk near campus do you even look when crossing the street anymore? Well do ya?

Look at my brother’s picture  and see a teen who was a three-sport athlete, was part of his school community, a loved boyfriend, a hilarious practical joker, idolized by his little brother Billy, and loved by his entire family.

“but my BF or my BFF or my parntz xpect me 2 rspnd when they txt,” you say? If so, ask them if the obligatory ‘LOL’ response to their latest status update is worth your life. If they complain about this, lose them as your BF or BFF.

Ask yourself: dead due to not wearing your seatbelt, or changing the radio station, or eating your fast food and driving, or drinking and driving, or texting and driving, how would you sum up your life? What might you want inscribed on your gravestone: “Life: LOL?”

DDD: Don’t drive distracted.

Some Suggestions for Young Drivers

For you, your fellow Dons, and your fellow community members I have a few safe driving suggestions.

Take a drivers education course. I took drivers education or “Driver’s Ed” as a high school sophomore and if you ask many of your parents, they probably took Driver’s Ed as a high school course.

For a systemic suggestion, it may be worth opening up Scottsdale community dialogue on the issue of bringing back Driver’s Ed during the school day. I acknowledge that the Scottsdale Unified School District continues to work hard to balance challenging budget concerns. According to various sources, district insurance costs are ginormous to get teens insured for Driver’s Ed. road time. This is a challenge. Yet how much is a life worth?

I wonder if SUSD could deliver a semester-credit elective course where classwork and gaming/driving simulation costs (Do you think video game driving need be limited to Grand Theft Auto game play?) are incurred by the SUSD and actual road Driver’s Ed time is incurred by caring coalitions of Scottsdale’s business leaders?

Get a phone app with automated response. 

Joy Estes, who helped put on January’s Distracted Driving event, suggested CHS students try digital resources to combat distracted driving.

For your cell phones, a useful app can be downloaded which gives your texting friends an automatic response when you get behind the wheel. “NNID: Not now I’m driving.”  Check out  the State Farm Steer Clear Safe Driver Discount Program online to download the apps to your cell phone, to learn more about distracted driving, and to watch informative videos on this issue.

Heyer graduated from Coronado High School in 2004, lettering all four years as an athlete.  Heyer then went on to attend the Community College of Southern Nevada, and then went on to play at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.  Heyer was then selected by the Yankees in the 22nd round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.

“Craig was a great competitor and one of the best pitchers I’ve ever coached,” commented Coach Holmes.

In the spring of 2004 Craig had a dream to play in the majors.  As of right now he is one step away from achieving his goal.  Heyer pitched in Tampa last last season on an advanced-A ball club and he had a record of 8-4 with an ERA of 3.52.

His first season in the minors he pitched for class A Staten Island Yankees.  The Staten Island is considered a short season A ball club.  Heyer was 5-0 with a 3.28 ERA.  He was used as a reliever for the most part, and got one start.  His second season =in the minor leagues Heyer was promoted to A Charleston.  He had a record of 7-1 and an ERA of 2.08.  Heyer went 12 career starts without losing a decison.

In 2009 Heyer was promoted again to advanced-A Tampa.  His first season with Tampa with a 4-3 record and a 3.11 ERA.  In 2009 Craig had six starts.  Heyer’s second year in advanced-A he went 8-4 with a 3.52 ERA.  Heyer has a career record of 24-8 with an ERA of 2.96.  Heyer is currently classified as a starting pitcher in advanced-A Tampa, getting 12 starts last season.

Heyer also lead the Yanks to their second consecutive Florida State League Championship this year.  After his good season in 2010, Heyer was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League.  Heyer was selected to the Phoenix Desert Dogs as a starting pitcher.  In the AFL Heyer was 1-2 with a 2.50 ERA ans struck out seven batters in eighteen innings.

What some seeds don’t realize is how lovely these blossoms smell this time of year. How can these seeds grow to be as strong and healthy as some of these growing vines that congest the school? Let’s listen in on what some vibrant blossoms have to say about growing big and burly.

Daniel Westbrook(11) and Alyssa Tilly(11) are a perfect example of corresponding colors in a flower pot. The two met last year in Mrs. Bendel’s class 2009. While the two were grouped together to discuss an assigned reading, Wuthering Heights, Daniel became more and more interested in Alyssa’s personality. They were asked to exchange numbers; score for Daniel.

Hesitantly, Daniel engaged in a conversation with Alyssa over text message. Needless to say they were interested in each other for quite some time. Then, miracles upon miracles, Alyssa gave in to Daniel’s quirky personality. The two have been an official couple for about 5 months, going on 6.

These band geeks have similar affinities. Both in music and in personalities. It is obvious Daniel and Alyssa share the quirkiness they both desire in a person. Daniel said “I love it when she sings, and when she’s dead tired and laughs at everything.” It is obvious the two are hooked on music. Whether it’s the clarinet or a guitar, Daniel can almost always be seen with an instrument of some kind.

Something to learn from these love buds? Learn about each other and know what interests the both of you. Alyssa’s advice for couples: “ you should care for each other every day, not just a specific day,” such as Valentine’s day.

Nerds. They are easy to come by at Coronado. Haidyn Dilorenzo(11) and Daniel Leavy(12) are known for their Honors classes and extracurricular activities. Could this be what brings the two together?

When Haidyn was asked “What makes them a strong couple,” she replied “Just how open we are with each other. We can talk about just about anything.” When Daniel was asked the same question he had almost an exact response. Confidence is obvious in this relationship. When asked “ What separates you from the other couples?,” Daniel simply replied “Is this a serious question? Everybody knows we’re THE BEST.”

They have a simple story, and yet it seems so delightful. Their blooming advice? Find someone you can have a good conversation with.

Our third and final spotlight on blossoms is Mandy Russell(11) and Joel Ostrem(10). What makes this couple so special? Mandy no longer attends Coronado. You may have noticed our fellow lady don around the hallways; she can be seen as a vibrant colored platinum blonde beauty. Joel, almost the same way.

The two are an odd couple. They both have an attraction for colors and standing out. Though Joel is shy and quiet, Mandy is bubbly and cute as a bug. You could say that what sets them apart is what actually brings them together.

This is a fully bloomed flower ready to withstand any typhoon or hurricane mother nature can throw at them. Nature planted these seeds next to each other on purpose, and it is obvious. Mandy says her favorite memory of the two was “maybe the second or third time he came to my house, we were sitting next to each other, looking through a basket of my old stuff, and we found this fortune from a fortune cookie that I had never seen before. It read ‘Stop searching forever, happiness is right next to you.’” Let’s face it, fortune cookies do not lie.

Something to learn from this flourishing arrangement? “It is hard to not see him every day, but a little distance is okay, because we have the rest of our lives to spend time with each other,” says Mandy.

Spring Break.  Enough said right?  Beautiful weather, green grass, the mumers and outbursts of fans at Scottsdale Stadium, no mandated curricululm, all for us Seniors to indulge in.

Yes, you read correctly, us Seniors.  It is quite logical that since this our final Spring Break, that we should have the exclusive liberty to savor the 9 nine consecutive days we own the capability of sleeping in.  It is an absolute necesity that we cherish every second, every breath that we breathe, leading up to graduation.

Underclassmen, you are limited to your text books and intense study sessions for the entirety this divine week.

The game has you start of in Pallot Town where Professor Oak gives you a choice: Bulbasaur, Squritle, or Charmander. Be carfull though, Oak’s Grandson Gary will also pick a starter pokemon that will be effective against yours and will keep bugging you.

The Gyms (A place where you battle your pokemon to prove you’re the best in the world) are scattered all over the Kanto Region. Each Gym has its own Pokemon types. You have to decide which poke’mon type that will be the most effective. So if you’re new to the Franchise but, want to play the original. Poke’mon Red and Blue are the ways to go!

The only question is: with only a handful of returning starters from last season and new guys stepping to the plate, can Coronado be as successful as it has been in the past?

Coach Holmes thinks that one of the keys to Coronado’s success is leadership. “Team chemistry comes from leadership… leaders teach young guys how you prepare (for) and play the game,” he said.

One of the team leaders Coach Holmes pointed out is Wyatt Richardson(12), who when asked what it was like to be a leader called it “a big role change, going from being one of the young guys to being one of the older guys. You have to step up and do what’s best for the team.”

So far, the 2011 Coronado Dons varsity baseball team is 2-3, but don’t panic. The  first four games were tournament games. Think of them as high school’s version of spring training.

In the team’s first game against Mesa on February 23, the Dons started off hot and built a 7-3 lead into the seventh inning. Out of no where came Mesa. The Jackrabbits  made a huge rally in the seventh, scoring five runs and winning 8-7.

Coronado played the Browne Bruins the next day. In another tight, hard to swallow decision, the Dons racked up one more in the loss column. The Bruins didn’t run away with it, but still squeaked out the win, 5-2.

By the third day of the tournament, the Dons were itching for a win. Their opponent that day: the Buckeye Hawks. They got the win they were looking for, blowing out Buckeye to the tune of eight runs against the Hawk’s two. Coronado got their first victory of the season and improved to 1-2.

Coronado didn’t have anything to celebrate the day after it’s first win.  The Dons played another team from Buckeye with a very different result from the last time. Coronado was victimized by the Youngker Rough Riders in a game with the final score of 17-2. Youngker established an early lead with a three run first inning and iced it with a ten run third inning. With the loss,  the tournament Coronado went 1-3 in was finally over.

Coronado played it’s first non-tournament and home game of the season March 1 against the Washington Rams. Coronado took an early lead after outscoring Washington 2-1 in the  first inning and never looked back. The Dons added one run to their lead in the second and four runs in the fourth. The Rams put up a single run in the fifth but it was too little too late and Coronado won the home opener 7-2 to get their first non-tournament win of the season.

Coronado’s starting pitcher Harlan Gatewood (12) pitched the entire game and allowed only two runs. Washington’s starter, Davonte Smythe, was relieved in the fourth by Kenny Lozes after being knocked around by Coronado’s lineup.

Players with big offensive nights for the Dons were:  Houston Edwards(11) (3-4, double, RBI), Gatewood (1-4, double, 3 RBI) and Richardson (2-2).

Offensive  leaders for the Rams included Brian Jimenez (1-3, triple), Jacob Valles (1-2, double), and Cristian Lopez (1-2, RBI).

Things may look bright bright for the Dons (2-3, 1-0 non-tournament) coming off their first home and non-tournament win, but they have a lot of expectations to live up to. Only time will tell if the Don’s 50th season will justify another sticker on the back of the shirt or is a year to forget.

Noteworthy: On Tuesday March 1, a very rare thing occurred. Pitchers for both JV and Freshman threw no-hitters.

A no-hitter is when a pitcher (or pitchers) allow(s) no hits over the course of a game. It is a rare occurrence for one pitcher or group of pitchers, let alone two to pitch a no-hitter.

For the Freshman squad it was a group effort with Thomas Ramirez(9), Savoy Harney(9), and Andreas “Flacco” Hernandez all “pitching” in for the no no. At press time, the freshman team is 6-1.

For JV it was Brett Wacker(10) going the distance all by himself.