BURLINGTON

by Lyra Codney
   Cross Country is a sport in which you run a five-kilometer race. It is mainly known as an endurance-based activity, but its more than that. Cross country is one of the most mentally challenging sports. 
   Many runners are aware of the mental toll this sport creates when competing. While running, there is a constant battle within yourself, trying not to give up. The body is in an unknown discomfort as the mind panics.
  

On top of the body playing tricks mentally, the brain starts to focus on the distance left. Time and distance start to mess with the head making seconds seem longer than it actually is. This causes disbelief in the runner’s ability to finish the race.
   Many athletes who go out for the sport have to go though some type of mental training whether they realize it or not. Some teams set aside certain days for mental training, while others believe it will come with time.
  

  Sophomore runner Haylei Potter says, “[Cross Country] Is mentally challenging. Even though we’ve trained to run 3.1-mile race, our mind is telling us to quit or slow down while running it. We have to push through those thoughts and think about the goals we set.”
   You don’t just grow physically, but mentally.  It is more than just running a race; it is about pushing yourself further than you ever thought you could.

by Allie Harris
   There’s quite a large variety of sports at Burlington. Of these, there are four sport seasons: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Between the three seasons, fall is obviously the best one.
   So, what makes the other seasons worse? Summer’s an easy season to put down. Everyone wants to take a nice, long break during this time, and activities only hinder that. Also, the weather is atrocious. Every sport is outside in the boiling heat, and it’s utterly miserable. This is clearly the worst of the four.
   

Winter isn’t good either. It’s the longest of the seasons, and by far the most depressing. Everything is indoors, the weather is freezing, and it drags on forever. Wrestling and basketball aren’t bad sports by any means, but by the end, everyone just wants to be done. The winter season simply doesn’t hold up.
   Track is a fan favorite activity, but that doesn’t hide Spring’s flaws. It takes place during the testing months. Spring sports require the athlete to miss more school than any other season. On top of that, it’s another one where everything is outside in the sun.
  

 Fall, on the other hand, is perfect. It has a good mix of indoor sports like Volleyball, but also Football and Cross Country take place outside. Football is a huge event at the school for fans, players, and fundraisers. The weather isn’t too hot or too cold. While there are lots of events, it’s the beginning of the year, so missing school isn’t nearly as taxing. 
   The Fall sports season is the best in many ways. There are just too many problems with Spring, Winter, and Fall. So, if you’re going to take a season off, make sure you keep this in mind.

Volleyball Positions: The What, How, and Why of Them

By Allie Harris
   Every sport has its own set of positions that the players fill. Volleyball is one sport in which those positions often confuse people. The system of rotation within the game only increases this confusion.
   There are roughly six different positions on a volleyball court: outside hitter, opposite hitter, middle blocker, setter, libero and the backrow players. Each has their own roles, which might change depending on which of the six spots on a court they occupy, as the formation rotates every time a team gains possession of the ball. This confuses most people, even Volleyball Coach Mrs. Ecton says, “I think the most interesting thing about the positions is that they have to rotate.”
   The outside hitter is the scoring member that primarily hits from the outside of the formation in the front row. The opposite hitter has a strong left side swing, and also plays in the front. The middle blocker often has first contact with the ball as the first line of defense against the opponent.
   The setter often has second contact with the ball and directs its path on a court. The libero is a strange position that cannot play in the front row, and wear different colored jerseys because of their unusual rotation. They focus only on defense.
   Finally, there are two different rows in volleyball, front and back, and most players stick to only one. Back row players have to abide by normal substitution rules, so they must switch with front row players when they rotate out of the back. They are also primarily defensive players. 

Athletes Speak on Pressure From Peers, Family, and Fans

By Teagan Harris
  For many sports fans around the world, football season is a huge event of the year. This is true for not only college football, but also high school teams. With so many fans wanting and demanding a long season, the pressure must be immense. 
   Parents and community members show so much support the BHS football teams. With that, though, comes the inevitable pressure to perform to their best ability. It may not be intentional, but the football players often feel as if they are letting down the town if they lose a game. 
      Sometimes, though, this pressure can push a person to perform better than they would have if they did not have these eyes on them. Reece states, "[The pressure] pushed me to be the best I could be to help the success of the team." Having cheerleaders and fans can hear behind him, he agrees, makes him want to take the other team down. 
   In previous years, cheerleaders did not attend JV football games. This year, however, there were several home games that had cheerleaders out on the track. It was a recurring statement the cheer squad heard that having cheerleaders there not only engaged the crowd, but encouraged the players. 
   So, there definitely are two ways overwhelming support can affect a person. In some instances, players are uplifted and inspired by fans. Other times, the pressure can get to them and make them feel like a fan’s happiness rests on the team’s success. 
   In all, community member should never stop showing up for local teams. However, all must keep in mind that people on a field are still people. To give BHS's athletes feeling supported and uplifted, one should choose kindness during and after games whether they are in the stands or on the track!

Cheer Squad Coaches Kids at Camp

By Sarah Gifford
   What have the football cheerleaders been up to? These past few weeks, the cheerleaders have been teaching little girls the basic steps of how to become a cheerleader. The Mini Cheer Squad has been working hard while having a great time. 
   The practices consisted of many various activities. One big part of the activities is getting to know each other. The main way they did that was playing games. 
   Even though it has been a difficult journey for the kids to memorize the steps they managed to get through it. Sophomore, Madison Keim said, “The biggest struggle was getting all the kids to all focus at the same time.” One of the biggest problems is the girls want to talk to their friends, so is result, they don’t pay attention. 
   Learning to become a cheerleader can be hard, and also very fun. During the course of the Mini Camp, these girls have learned the steps to a 45 second dance. While learning the dance, they also learned two cheers. 
   The process of teaching little girls can be hard in general. The teacher has to put them all in order then get their attention. The last part is to keep them focused long enough for them to memorize the steps. 
   The amazing football cheerleaders taught the Mini’s everything they know, and they did a really good job with it. From teaching steps to getting the girls’ attention, the cheerleaders did it all. Overall the end results were spectacular.