THE LIGHTHOUSE Volume XXVI, Issue IV Lyndhurst High School February 2013 The jacket that is kept for a lifetime BY MATT DEMARCO der, the jackets are distributed to the students. and started playing football. I had a new jacket The letterman jacket is made of wool and is to wear for Montclair State [University],” Goff After graduation, there are only a few items blue and gold. The back features an emblem said. people keep as a memory of their good old representing the sport or activity for which Not only is this jacket warm and comfortable, days in high school. Typically, performers the jacket has been earned and the student’s it also carries symbolism and tradition. When hold onto props or costumes and musicians graduating year. Students can add patches to people see someone wearing a letterman jack- may save their instruments. Likewise, athletes indicate their positions, team numbers or spe- et, they know a bit about that person’s past. hope to retain their prestigious letterman jack- cial accomplishments. They can also request For the wearer, the jacket will forever con- ets, also known as the varsity jacket. that their last name be stitched on the inside of jure up treasured memories of scoring a touch- A student can earn a letterman jacket by the collar or on the sleeve. down in a state game or hitting the winning participating in any of the sports LHS offers, Senior Nick Galvez said he entered high Run Batted In (RBI). It may also remind him as well as cheer/dance team and cheerlead- school wanting a varsity jacket. After two foot- or her of simpler times playing a beloved sport ing. To receive a jacket for participation in a ball seasons, he earned it. alongside good friends. sport, a student must have played the sport for “I was happy when I got at least two years, one of those years being at it.... I like it because it is the varsity level. warm,” Galvez said, ex- Freshman Vincent Dorio said he hopes to plaining that he wears it earn a varsity jacket for baseball. every day when it is cold “I want a [jacket] because it shows that I play out. a varsity sport,” Dorio said. “I’ve always want- Coach Goff, head ed one. Just the fact of having something like wrestling coach, said he that with my name and sport, it’s like a tradition still has his high school to have one.” varsity jacket, which he The average cost of a jacket is $230. The earned as a freshman Booster Club contributes $75 for active Boost- for wrestling at Monroe er Club members. If you are not a Booster Township High School. Club member, $50 will still be subsidized. “I still have it and I There are three jacket fittings each year, stopped wearing it when I which are handled by Secretary Mrs. DiPisa. graduated high school.... The fittings take place once during each sports I stopped wearing it be- COURTESY OF MATT DEMARCO season. As soon as the school receives an or- cause I was in college The LHS varsity jacket has evolved between 1987 and 2012. Every athlete’s worst fear BY JOELLE VOZA high impact sports like soccer, basketball and cally results from a hard fall or hit. football, where the knee is required to make Junior Cameron Georgs suffered a concus- Athletics are an important part of high school abrupt stops from high speeds and where sion playing basketball during her sophomore for some students, and one’s career in sports there are sharp changes in movement. year at Ramsey High School. Simply going for could change within seconds as a result of an “You never know when it could be your last a rebound led to a collision with another player. injury. A couple of jammed fingers or a twisted game.... Never take anything for granted be- This resulted in a concussion that caused her ankle can result in temporary pain and incon- cause it can all change in a second,” Sopho- to have to sit out. venience. Other injuries are far more serious. more Jessica Failace said. She tore her ACL “When I came back from my injury, it took According to The Centers for Disease Con- during a soccer game midway through the fall me a while to regain my starting position back,” trol and Prevention website, more injuries take season. Georgs said. “I also had to get back in shape, place in competition than in practice. Also, As a result of her torn ACL, Failace was un- which was a challenge.” most are new injuries, as opposed to recur- able to complete her soccer season and can- Junior Anthony Giaquinto is a dedicated soc- rences or complications from previous injuries. not participate in track this spring. She intends cer player. Just four games in, his season was Women are more prone to leg and knee in- to be back for the 2013-2014 soccer season. cut short due to extra tissue on his heart that juries than men, according to www.orthopod- Even for professional athletes who have torn needed to be surgically removed. surgeon.com, the website of Michigan Ortho- their ACLs, it takes six to nine months to return “I realized that some things go unnoticed and paedist Dr. Thomas J. Haverbush. Anterior to competion. During this time, everyday ac- I need to take more caution because some Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries, which affect tivities such as getting dressed and walking to conditions can be extremely serious,” Giaquin- the knee, have been more common among fe- the bathroom become challenging. to said. male high school athletes than male athletes More than 4 million high school sports-related Giaquinto plans to run track this coming because women have a straighter knee when concussions are diagnosed each year, accord- spring. He will be able to play soccer again performing certain maneuvers in running and ing to the “News & Observer,” a North Caroli- in the fall and said he has learned to tell his cutting, while men tend to have more bend or na newspaper. A concussion is a disruption of coaches when he gets even the slightest bit flexion in their knees. the normal chemical activity in the brain. It is hurt. Torn ACLs are most often associated with caused by the brain being rattled, which typi- PAGE 2 The Lighthouse February 2013 Question: If you could spend Valentine’s Day COLUMN with anyone in the world, What would who would it be and what plans would you Tessalone do? make? COMPILED BY GIANNA DIPISA COLUMN This is an interesting question with many possibilities. The first What would women that came to mind were either elf maidens from “The Lord Newman do? of the Rings” or Kate Austen from COMPILED BY COURTESY OF GIANNA DIPISA the TV show “Lost.” COURTESY OF BIANCA FATA GIANNA DIPISA I then decided I should pick a So now with all those Christmas real person, and I think it would over the years, minus Jimmy If I could spend Valentine’s Day presents I just got her, I’m sup- be awesome to spend Valentine’s Fallon. Next, we could go to “30 with anyone in the world.... Wait posed to get flowers, perfume, Day with Tina Fey. Rock” where they film “SNL” and one sec.... Things are getting a jewelry, chocolate covered straw- Tina Fey is not only a beautiful I could see her perform in the tad bit personal now. My co-work- berries, a card, a singing card and woman who recently cohosted the Weekend Update sketch. ers read this column. My students a stuffed animal? You know what? Golden Globes. She was the first Then, Tina and I would go to read this column. My mother and I should just get a stuffed ani- female head writer in “Saturday the after show party and dance to my girlfriend also read this col- mal, douse it with perfume while Night Live” history and is currently “One More Time” by Daft Punk. I umn. it’s holding flowers with jewelry on the star of the hilarious “30 Rock.” would be sure to tell Will Ferrell Luckily, my mother, Ellen New- it, having a card on it, which sings, Now what would we do? I no- that Mr. Carucci would be a great man, is a saint and never judges AND THEN dip that whole deal ticed that this question did not supporting actor if he ever wanted me for my wittiness in my col- in chocolate. Problem solved! No provide a timeframe and therefore to make a film about anchormen umns. As for my girlfriend, she al- way any person of the female I would go back in time to Feb. or a human being that thought he lows me the creative freedom that persuasion can resist that, right? 2000 to go on this date. was an elf. many of her fellow “sisters” do not. Yum. We could go out to dinner in the Finally, I would give her the That is one of the many reasons The fact is that this is a ridicu- city where I would want to hear idea for the film “Mean Girls” and why she is my girlfriend! So, my lous question. Of course, there is stories about all of the great co- transport back to 2013 as a multi- girlfriend aside, with whom am I no other person I’d rather spend medians she has worked with millionaire. spending Valentine’s Day? Well, Valentine’s Day with than my girl- let’s just say who I’m not spending friend.