4- December 2010 kendama was everywhere; lots TheThe kendama, Kendama of skateboarders, if you haven’t skiers, and snowboarders had them because seen one before, they’re so extreme. At first, he played with is a Japanese toy his kendama for hours each day. However, which contains a his shoulders started hurting, so he took a wooden handle break for a while. Today, he plays a lot less. with a ball at- Chris really enjoys how the kendama never tached by a string. gets old, as there are always new tricks pos- The kendama is sible, and “it has a very gradual learning also referred to curve.” as “ring and pin”, Not only has the kendama influenced “cup-and-ball”, students, but teachers too. Ms. Guse and or “ball in cup”. Mrs. Cook also own kendamas. Ms. Guse got This toy is actually a game. The objective is her kendama about a month ago. She isn’t Julian Cagnazzo and Ehren Schultz can’t work far to catch the ball in any way skillfully possible. obsessed with the kendama, but she enjoys it from their Kendama toys. You can catch the ball with the big or small cup, a lot. Ms. Guse thinks the kendama is “whole- because she sees a lot of the toy now. heel or center cup, or the spike point. There are some” and “helps hand-eye coordination”. She The kendama has taken Memorial by 101 different tricks for this toy! Also, there are enjoys watching students play because she storm. Around many corners is a group of kendama competitions, where people face off believes it can lead kids “away from electron- people throwing their kendamas around, try- and perform different tricks, and the last one ics, televisions, Facebook, etc.” She plays for ing to get the latest trick. It seems that even the standing wins. Some say that this game gets old an hour a day, but she encourages students to colors of the ball itself have evolved from basic pretty fast, yet others say they play with it 24/7. play more. Her greatest accomplishment of the primary colors to more eccentric colors like Now how did this foreign game land in kendama was when she spiked it. Ms. Guse also turquoise or a light pink. Kids play in between Memorial High? Well one venue was Memo- wishes “every kid could have a kendama!” classes, lunch, before school, and even after rial’s own Christopher Herr. Almost all of the Mrs. Cook is another kendama player. school in Memorial’s own Kendama Club. kendamas at school are ordered by him. He She got hers four years ago when her mother in Maybe the kendamas will slowly disappear like found out about the kendama when he went to law when to Japan. She really enjoys the “mo- all other trends, or maybe a new version will Lake Owen last summer, and got his first one. notonous clicking sounds” and she plays after bring up its popularity again! Everyone had them and could purchase them she grades papers. Though she didn’t play much --Besma Aly from many different stores. Chris said that the when she first got it, she plays a lot more now Thanksgiving Baskets There has been a long standing tradition at Memorial that Captains Club puts together Thanksgiving Baskets for community families in need. This year’s group of Captains did a terrific job collecting money from there Athlete of the Month...page 2 teams, planning, purchasing and delivering baskets of food. Nearly $2000 Spartan World...page 3 was collected and ultimately turned into 25 baskets were delivered to fami- Volunteer Service...page 3 lies in the community. Families that otherwise may not have had a Thanks- JMM Big Apple...page 4 giving meal to share. The best thing about projects like this is they have Music...page 5 a direct impact on families in Madison. Participating in athletics, while Cabaret Cast...page 6 a huge commitment, is really a terrific opportunity to grow as a person, Harry Potter...page 7 meet new people, and excel at something students love to do. Many of our Artisit of the Month... page 8 athletes and Captains see that it is important to give back to the community Horoscopes...page 9 that allows them to participate in their sports. A special thanks go out to all Tibetan Linguistics... page 10 of the student-athletes that donated money and to the Captains that put so The Bearded Ones...page 11 much effort into giving back. You really make a difference. Travel Opportunity...page 12 Captains’ Club is made up of the Varsity Captains of all the boys Sports...page 12 and girls sports at Memorial High School. Brandon Hall and Jordan Carl- son carry in a huge load of food. David Paul Girls swim team cap- tain, Cati Beecher and Boys swim team mem- ber, Ron Mann carry in (above) Cross Country Girls Linsdey Quella and Sydnie Silbernagel pose tons of food. with their great big baskets of food! Athlete of the Month: Katy Pilarzyk schedule we have ahead of us. With all the Career Honors: returning varsity girls coming back this year, 2009/ 2010 All- Conference 1st Team combined with the amount of talent on the team 2009/ 2010 All- City 1st Team and the snazzy new jerseys we will be wearing, 2009 All- Area 2nd Team we are sure to be a huge threat in the conference 2010 All- Area 1st Team and even the state if we work for it. 2010 All- State 1st Team 2010 Team MVP S&S: Breakfast of Champions? KP: Life Cereal with blueberries Favorite Sport: Soccer S&S: If you had to describe your personality in S&S: What sport you have always want- the shape of a sillyband, what would it be? Katy valiantly saves a goal at practice ed to try but haven’t gotten the chance? KP: It would be a crazy, fun, random shape but Katy Pilarzyk: Track and Field with really bright colors. Memorial High School is incredibly S&S: What is one word that describes you? S&S: What do you drive currently? fortunate to have so many outstanding athletes. KP: Outgoing KP: ’96 Ford Taurus Katy Pilarzyk is no exception; she has con- tinued to uphold the tradition of Memorial’s S&S: Through all the injuries, late practices S&S: Dream Car? athletic excellence. and stress, why have you stuck with soccer all KP: Charcoal Honda CRV Her athletic perception throughout the these years? school has been the “beastly goalie”. She is also KP: When I was little a phenomenal student. Her determination and I stuck with it because dedication is humbling. Katy has been playing of my friends and team- soccer since the first grade when her mother mates. But now I play signed her up against her wishes. As Katy puts because of the fun, the it “Mother knows best I suppose.” And from challenge, and because her successful soccer career over the last eleven playing soccer became years I would agree wholeheartedly. According so much a part of me that to the Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Ben I don’t think I could stop Voss, “Katy is the most talented athlete in the if I tried. school. Hands down.” When I heard Katy was trying out for S&S: Has there ever basketball this year, like most of her friends, I been a time when it felt was surprised, because up until now soccer was like too much to handle? her year round sport with a sprinkling of sum- KP: Of course. When I mer tennis on the side. I asked Katy if she had keep making the same ever played basketball before and she smiled mistakes, when I’m widely and said nope. under lots of pressure, Shannon McClurg, Katy Pilarzyk, Dominique Golz and Audra The idea of trying out for a sport that or when I feel exhausted Wiedholz pose for a picture after try outs one has never played before seems terrifying to make up the times when the average person, yet Katy had the guts to do I feel like I have had enough. But what keeps just this. When asked to explain why she decid- me playing is the final product, which makes it S&S: I have to ask… Dream Date? ed to do this her reasoning was very simple “I all worth while. KP: That guy in the Gardiner Fructis Commer- have always wanted to play basketball and this cials. year seemed like my last shot. Freshman year I S&S: Who is your biggest athletic role model? chickened out, and I didn’t go out sophomore or KP: My teammates are my biggest role models, S&S: Guilty Pleasure? junior year because I wanted to focus on soccer. whatever sport I’m playing, I feel that they push KP: Taking pointless, girly quizzes in maga- So this season seemed like now or never.” me and force me to be my best. zines. The Basics S&S: Who is your biggest role model in gen- S&S: If you were to open your lunch box and Grade: Senior eral? see your mom had packed your favorite candy, GPA: 3.8 KP: I find it hard to pick just one person as a what would it be? role model because I admire attributes in the KP: Swedish Fish or Reese’s cups Sports: Soccer, basketball, and tennis in the people around me including my friends, peers, summer. and sister.