Wai'anae, Hawai'i
November 23, 2013

In today’s society when some people think of the sport of wrestling they think about large muscular men with strange stage names.

“My favorite is Umaga” said Sani Pitolo.

Greco-Roman wrestling is a combat sport which confronts two male competitors who try to gain control over their opponent through the use of throws, locks, and clinching techniques. The holds can only be executed by means of the upper body, with the ultimate goal of pinning the opponent's shoulders to the mat. Wrestling is not only a sport for boy but for girls too. Malie Gonsalves a Senior at Waianae High school dominates the mats when wrestling because to Malie it’s more than just a sport but a lifestyle. Although wrestling is a very physical sport, it is not all about being physically strong but also mentally.

At Waianae High Schools senior Malie Gonsalves said “My struggles was mostly mental cause you need to have a strong mental attitude to be able to wrestle and so once you get mentally strong then the physical part gets easier”.

Last year Gonsalves competed for the OIA championship finals in the last match while losing by six points in the first two period she remembered to not give up and won her match by two points and became the OIA champion. When overcoming her struggles from the help of her father; her biggest encouragement knowing what she goes through and what it takes to be on top also brings her up to do better. With the season starting back up learning wrestling techniques, strength training and conditioning Gonsalves proves to herself to be better of what others think of her.

“Well when people underestimate me I just try to prove them wrong and I can make myself better at the same time” Gonsalves said.

Knowing when she doesn’t do her best, Gonsalves betters herself for the next one while looking foward and prepares for her next match. By getting introduced to the sport by her father, to Malie wrestling is more than just a sport but a lifestyle.

“My plans after high school is hopefully go to college on the mainland and if possible and get a full scholarship to wrestle” Malie said.

Continuing to wrestle after high school Gonsalves is looking at the University of Oregon women’s wrestling team as a possible option. Hoping to go to college on the mainland and the possibility of getting a full scholarship to wrestle Malie continues to do what is her whole life.

Wai'anae, Hawai'i
November 27th, 2013

Here in Hawaii, when someone thinks of a University of Hawaii football game tailgating events, star players, or even the peppy cheerleaders on the side lines come to mind first. Rarely does the casual fan think about the workers above the action in the press box. There are reporters from different media sources that cover the game, and workers who keep track of the scores and individual statistics. Among this mix of reporters and number keepers is color analyst for ESPN Radio 1420, John Veneri, whose job is to announce the game from the radio booth. With a large amount of people in the booths, comes a load of pressure.

“Anything else before the actual games you have butterflies, then once you get into it you get three hours, you can’t stay nervous for very long,” Veneri said.

Announcers like Veneri need to be very cautious with what they say not only because of the teams, but their family and friends in the stands. “You have to be careful on what you say, even though they’re college players they’re still kids. Their families listen, their coach wides listen, while there’s no pressure, there is a certain level, you have to have a certain level of professionalism to talk about the kids, the players,” Veneri said.

With having to be careful with their words, it packs more pressure on to the press box crew. Even with high levels of professionalism as announcers, everyone make mistakes.

“When you make mistake and you don’t realize it till later, you kind of just brush over it and then just sure you say whatever’s true or correct later on,” Veneri added.

When the game is over and the players have shook hands, the workers in the press box wrap everything up. Ease has come over the workers above the field after they have felt the same pressure that the players might feel. The pressure of this game may be over, but there is always a new game. Luckily, it’s the pressure of the job that keeps them going.

Wai'anae, Hawai'i
October 25th, 2013 - Wai'anae, Hawaii

It started with a jump. The stadium lights blinding, the cheers deafening and the coaches on the edge of sanity. Chaz Bollig goes for the ball, which is a little too far- so he springs into the air. Catch! Then suddenly...nothing. In the game of football, the chances of sustaining an injury are fairly high.

Take Varsity football player Chaz Bollig, for example. In the past few years, he’s broken his collarbone, knee, seven fingers and in pop warner season had an intense concussion. Injuries like these are all too common among student athletes now, with over 2 million occuring each year, according to U.S. Center for Disease Control. For Bolig. one affliction in particular stood out. “I lost memory for a long time after my concussion. I think it was for about a whole week, maybe even longer. It was scary, I had no clue what happened or anything,” Chaz said.

A concussion is a brain injury that occurs from a serious hit to the head or body. Of the 2 million student athlete injuries that do occur, 300,000 of them are traumatic brain-related. Chaz recovered from his injury slowly, eventually returning to the field to play once again.

In Hawaii it takes a student athlete 23 days on average to be cleared to play a sport again. Even with recovery time and new studies being done regarding the effects of concussions, The Department of Education has had an increase of 600 reported injuries from the 2007 to the 2012 school year. This jump in accidents has caused concern among sports officials and athlete's parents. "You don't want to think of the death part, it's just more of how is going to be after he recovers or even if he recovers," said Randell Bollig.

On a global scale, the recognition of concussions and its harmful effects on athletes during sports season has arisen. For instance, the NFL has been sued by more than hundreds of their players or the player’s families because of wounds that cut too deep to mend. "Trainers always try to take it pretty serious and try to make sure you don't have a concussion," said Chaz Bollig.

Overall, many adolescent sportsmen and sportswomen from across the nation are encountering numerous injuries difficult to bounce back from. Whether the blame can be pushed on the athlete or the sport, cannot be determined.