From ages six to 12, I spent 24 hours a week at Go for the Gold Gymnastics, a warehouse off the highway with giant garage doors and gymnastics equipment spread out at random under heavy fluorescents. Every weekday morning, I woke up and went to school from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.. Then I went to gymnastics from 4 to 8 p.m. On weekends, I either traveled to a new part of New Jersey for competitions or spent 10 hours a day in the gym. 

I didn’t have a lot of free time to play with barbies or my classmates outside of school. My childhood was filled with chalk, blistered hands, leotards that ride up, a hair-sprayed high ponytail, and pointed toes. I spent most of my time flipping and bouncing in the hopes that I would earn a 10 out of 10 on the judges’ tiny scoreboards. 

Now I’m 23, and certain behaviors from gymnastics have stuck with me throughout my life. I always ask if I can use the restroom because my coach thought the word bathroom was unprofessional. Every time I do something correctly, I make sure to do it again over and over to make sure I don’t lose it. When I walk around the house, I always find my chin up, shoulders back and stiff and my palms sweaty. 

Lauren winning first place on vault at the 2010 New Jersey Level 6 State Championships for age 11 girls. She won second place All Around as well. January 31, 2010.

Nearly every athlete at the Olympics describes how they spent their entire childhood working to get to where they are now. They talk about how, without their sport, they wouldn’t be who they are today. For Simone Biles, Shawn Johnson and Sunisa Lee it all paid off. But what about me? 

I missed sleepovers, summer camp and hangouts every weekend. I trained five to six days a week and spent my Sundays competing all over New Jersey. I faked a smile, never painted my nails and climbed the rope every time I messed up my floor routine at practice. I can’t help but ask myself where it got me. Sure, I’m not a failure, but I’m not a gymnast either. What did I gain from years of physically straining my body and sacrificing a balanced adolescent life? 

The truth is, there are so many people like me- so many people who dedicated their childhood to working hard instead of just being a kid. So many people who didn’t land a brand deal with Subway and national fame. The ribbons and medals were nice and shiny, but I was robbed of building meaningful connections with people. Besides that, I was a young girl who didn’t know who she was without gymnastics. 

I eventually dropped the sport when I was 12 because of the “twisties,” a term for when a gymnast gets a mental block that does not allow their body to perform anymore. I just spent hours staring at the bar, beam or vault frozen in fear. Instead of jumping on the springboard and gracefully tumbling over it, I’d run down the vault track and crash into the horse. I’m lucky to have had parents who supported my decision to stop when I fell out of love with gymnastics, but when I told my coaches that I was quitting they barely looked me in the eyes. They told me I would regret this for the rest of my life. I was 12 years old. Simon Biles announced she had the “twisties” at the Summer 2021 Olympics, and she was applauded for her decision to drop out and take care of herself. Mental Health matters, but only when you’ve made it to the top I guess. 

Lauren with coaches Vivian (left) and Juan (right) after competing at
The Shining Stars invitational. January 6, 2008.

Gymnasiums need rules that will protect child athletes and limit the amount of time a child or teen athlete can train per week. As it is, parents and coaches alone determine a child’s schedule. If state regulations were created it would allow athletes to have their own time for a life outside practice. 

Project Play’s Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports was developed by human rights and sports policy experts, and it corroborates the argument that former child athletes like myself are making, that children need to be allowed to be children first. The bill has eight rights, with number four emphasizing the need for developmentally appropriate play. 

“Children have a right to play at a level commensurate with their physical, mental and emotional maturity, and their emerging athletic ability,” the bill says. “They should be treated as young people first, athletes second.”

Besides providing more time for kids to just be kids, this will level the playing field. If everyone has the same amount of time to practice each week this will ensure everyone has a fair and equal chance at succeeding. It will also allow more time for child athletes to relax, rest and focus on improving their mental health, which is just as important as physical health in the sports world. There are regulations for child actors, why not child athletes? 

Coaches and competitive training centers need to emphasize the small percentage of athletes who make it to the top. According to the NCCA, less than two percent of student-athletes make it pro. It’s important to tell young people to follow their dreams, but if their dedication to a sport is impacting their mental health and ability to grow in other ways, then maybe they should be encouraged to consider other career and life options. 

Finally, the gymnastics world needs guidance counselors and human resource representatives in gymnastics. There needs to be an outlet besides a coach or a parent that an athlete can go to for open and honest communication. There are conversations that children need to have that they might not be comfortable having with a parent or a coach. Children need proper resources to ensure their health and protection. It would also give children a safe space to speak up if there are incidents with peers or coaches. 

Gymnastics made me who I am today, but it also defined me when I was a child. Those are two very different things. 

The post Child Athletes: Is it worth it in the end? appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Outside the stadium, on a gray-tiled path between East 161st Street and East 153rd Street that used to be player parking in the days of the old Yankee Stadium, a different group of performers showed up for work. 

For almost every Yankee home game, the same group of musicians, artists and food vendors set up shop hoping for crinkled dollar bills and loose change in their guitar bags and Home Depot buckets. 

“I’ve been here since the old stadium, so about 30-years,” said Luther Petty, a 75-year old saxophone player. His stage is a folding chair on the curb of East 161st, directly in front of Yankee Stadium. 

A St. Louis native, Petty began playing music early in life. 

“My Aunt naturally played piano, she taught me at about four or five-years old,” he said. “I have been playing classical since I was five or six.”

Now, Petty plays the soprano sax, a higher-register woodwind that he says matches his rhythm and vibe. 

“I do a medley of songs,” he said. “It changes with the time.” 

Petty is inspired by jazz and blues artists like Charlie Parker and Lee Morgan; his favorite song to play is “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In.”  

Petty was told by another street musician friend, who had previously done well outside Yankee Stadium, that he should give it a shot. 

Since then, Petty has played outside Yankee Stadium through five world series wins and 15 division titles.  

Petty likes his spot, the closest “player” to Yankee Stadium who isn’t wearing pinstripes. 

“I choose the spot that is most lucrative for me,” he said. “I’ve been doing it a long time.”

Shaun Tracy sells pretzels and trades extras for stadium giveaways. Photo by Ryan Schwach

About 30 feet from Petty is Micheal Bailey, a painter from Chicago who has been selling art depicting Yankees and other sports stars outside the stadium for six-years. 

Bailey, 63, who also goes by “Zebra”, has been homeless for the last several years, but does well enough selling his art he can occasionally travel to other cities to sell. 

“I’ve got money in the bank,” he said b. “When I have enough money I get a hotel room. It’s hard living.” 

Bailey says in the 1990’s, he had a few businesses distributing and selling art, companies that went under around 2007 and cost him everything.  

“I made a whole lot of money from 95’ to 99’,” he said. “I went all over the country doing conventions and was doing over a million dollars a year. Now I just do my art…I’ve always been happy doing my art.”

He began painting at an early age in Chicago, and his first gallery came at his sister’ salon, which was called “Zebra”, hence his artist name. 

“I’ve been doing it since I was a kid,” he said. 

Naturally as a Chicago kid, he grew up a Bears and Cubs fan. Today, his favorite players to paint are Michael Jordan and former Bears Runningback Walter Payton. Football is his favorite sport to paint because its the most colorful.

Selling outside Yankee Stadium has been fruitful for Bailey, who likes his spot just off East 163rd Street. 

“The NYPD told me to come over here, and they were right,” he said. ”This is a good spot.” 

Bailey has given his art to Yankee legends Mariano Rivera and “Mr. October”, Reggie Jackson. 

“I saw Reggie in Houston,” he said. “Reggie came walking out and saw his painting and he came up to me smiling. He was really nice.” 

Once outside Yankee Stadium, a man came up and asked if he had any art of Yankees catcher Jose Trevino. Bailey was surprised and said he didn’t have Trevino, only more prominent players like Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Anthony Rizzo. 

“It was Jose Trevino,” Bailey said. The Yankee catcher bought the art of his teammates and brought them to the clubhouse, according to Bailey. 

One of Trevino’s teammates, Aaron Judge, had one of the most notable offensive seasons in the history of baseball. On Sept. 23, he was one home run shy of his 61st of the season, which would tie Roger Maris, another Yankee, for the most in a single season in the American League. As of this writing, the Yanks have wrapped up their regular season, and Judge finished with the record breaking 62 trips around the bases. 

Yankee fans may have Judge to thank for a historic season, but so does Bailey. 

“Judge adds at least $200 to my sales,” he said, adding that fans are more likely to buy his Aaron Judge art on nights he hits a homerun. 

Bailey isn’t the only one on the strip thanking Aaron Judge and his home runs for a bump in revenue. Stuart Stephenson, a Melodica-playing 56-year old Queens native, has also seen more money in his bucket thanks to Judge. 

“When they are winning it’s a little bit better, they are a little happier,” he said. “You have your bad days and your good days.” 

Stephenson, a self taught musician, plays a medley of songs from Sinatra, Micheal Jackson, and movies, and of course, songs like Take Me Out To The Ballgame. 

“I usually play at Citi Field. But when they’re out of town, I come here,” he said. A Queens native, Stephenson is partial to the Mets.

His favorite player is Darryl Strawberry, a right fielder who played for both the Yankees and the Mets. So when playing in The Bronx, he wears a Strawberry Yankee jersey, and when playing in Queens, wears a Strawberry Mets jersey. 

“He was a very good player,” he said. “He was a very dominant player.” 

Once a mailroom employee, Stephenson has been playing both of New York’s baseball parks, Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, for about a year. 

“I said ‘forget it, you know, let me try this and see how it works out’,” he said. Stephenson has been successful in both places, making enough money to live on and travel everyday. He likes his spot at Yankee Stadium too, because it’s far enough away from other musicians, and it’s a good place for people.  

“We can’t be close to each other because, you know, it’ll mess up the vibe in the music,” he said. “You meet different people every day. You don’t see the same people every day unless they have season tickets, then they recognize you.” 

The Mets are also in the playoffs this year, which may mean a Bronx day game and a Queens night game.  

Stuart Stephenson and his melodica. Photo by Ryan Schwach

“I’m gonna try to do both,” Stephenson said.  

Shawn Tracy, a pretzel vendor with a makeshift grill set up on a cart, also bounces from Citi Field to Yankee Stadium, depending on who’s playing. 

“I was going to go to Citi tonight, but I came here instead because of Judge,” said Tracy, a Toyota car dealer who does this as a side-hustle.  “I just know when I need to make money, so I come here.” 

Tracy saw people selling outside stadiums as a young Met fan growing up on Long Island.  

“I saw people when I was young doing it, and I started doing it out of a shopping cart, but I upgraded,” he said. “It’s mostly just pretzels now. It’s easier, the cost is low.”

Pretzels are an interesting racket. A ballpark staple, people really only buy one or two on their way out of the stadium, but that gives Tracy an opportunity to get a little extra. In exchange for a sum of pretzels, Tracy trades for whatever the stadium giveaway was, for instance a bobblehead or a replica statue. His favorite is a bobblehead of former Mets pitcher Noah Syndegaard.  

The week prior, the Yankees were down three runs going into the waning innings against the Pirates, so fans were exiting early. Tracy swapped 15 pretzels for an unused ticket stub and got into the stadium in the 8th Inning. 

“They were leaving, so I asked,” he said. Tracy made it in time to see Aaron Judge’s 60th home run and Giancarlo Stanton’s game-winning, walk-off grand slam. 

As for if he ever samples his own product: “I’m kinda tired of it,” he said.  

Vendors, like Tracy and Alex Garcia, A Mexican immigrant who sells water bottles, take advantage of the stadium’s sometimes exorbitant prices, and try to get fans to buy cheaper merchandise or food. 

Luther Petty plays the trumpet with Yankee stadium in the background. Photo by Ryan Schwach

“If you keep it closed, you can take it with you,” Garcia shouted, luring in people with 2 for $5 deals.

“It’s good, I like the work, it’s good for me,”  Garcia said.  

Although some show up before the game, sell their merchandise, then duck out mid-game to relax or get food of their own, and only return to sell to the exiting crowd, guitarist David Spectra doesn’t show up until the end. 

Other than Thaddeus Adams, Spectra’s Hendrix-like shredding is the last thing fans hear before getting to their cars or the Metro-North. 

Spectra, who grew up in the South Bronx and now lives in New Brunswick, remembers specifically that he got into guitar “one year after Hendrix died,” which would be 1971. 

“If you grew Black neighborhood, what Hendrix did was electrify music,” Spectra said.

“Music was the last thing I ever thought of. I was supposed to be driving trains to the railroad to subways,” Spectra said. “That’s the only thing I ever wanted to do when I was young.”

Spectra did get to pursue both, driving subways for five-years while pursuing music both on stages and in the street. 

“I like the feeling I had when trains could never do that,” he said. “So that gave me another opening.” 

He says there is a craft to choosing the right spot. 

“You can find a spot where you can work fast and make money fast,” he said, adding that he thought the spot where he has played for the last few years outside the stadium was a lucrative one. 

Although, like many of the other performers and merchants who set up shop outside the stadium, there’s one thing about the job that attracts Spectra most. 

“The fact that I’m my own boss,” he said. 

The Yankees beat the Sox, 5-4. 

The post Between E 161st and E 153rd: The artists and merchants of Yankee Stadium appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“I think it’s really important to note that the work is not done,” said Nina King, the Chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. “We will continue to make sure that we enhance the women’s championship and make sure that it is the very best women’s sporting event in our country.”

This is the first year the women’s NCAA tournament will receive similar support as the men’s , which fans, teams and players alike have been demanding for years. The biggest change was the inclusion of a women’s First Four and expanding the total number of competing teams, giving more women’s teams the chance to qualify for the tournament.

“It’s really exciting being back to normal [with the fans] and then with all the new firsts,” said King. “Having the same number of participation opportunities was really a critical priority, and I think we’re all just really grateful that we have arrived at this moment.”

While the demand for change in women’s sports has always been there, attention from the public has not, with most of the fans’ attention on the men’s tournament each year. However, last year, more women’s players started calling out the stark differences between the two tournaments on social media.

 One TikTok by Sedona Prince, a forward for the Oregon Ducks, showing the extreme differences between the women’s and men’s facilities at the tournament last year went viral on both TikTok and Twitter. In a few days, it gathered more than 13 million views and attracted the attention of big names like N.B.A star Steph Curry. After her video went viral, more pressure was placed on the N.C.A.A. to take a stand and address the inequalities between the two tournaments, which clearly favored the men’s competition. As a result, the NCAA launched an investigation into the inequalities between the men’s and women’s tournaments and released a report with a plan to create equality between the two tournaments.

“If that video got one-twentieth of the amount of views it did, who knows,” said Sedona Prince in an interview with the New York Times. “There might not have been an investigation in the first place, so that’s disappointing. But now that the NCAA has taken some responsibility for what it did, it’s cool to see. Hopefully in this tournament, we’ll see a lot of things have changed.”

And, many of the players have seen and acknowledged the changes in this year’s tournament so far, from the small things like similar quality of transportation and lodging for both leagues to the big things like the increase to a full 68 team tournament.

“You can tell that the NCAA is trying to make the right steps into becoming more equal and getting more support and more views for the women’s game, which is very much appreciated,” said Faith Masonius, a guard-forward for the Maryland Terrapins. “Hopefully, it will just get better and better each year, but we definitely acknowledge the changes that are being made and appreciate them.”

While the changes directly impact the players and their experience while competing in the tournament, they also encourage fans to invest more time watching the women’s league and businesses to invest more resources into women’s sports.

“It’s putting more weight towards the women’s game and seeing more and more fans come out and more support, you know, that’s amazing to see,” said Katie Benzan, a guard for the Maryland Terrapins. “And hopefully the NCAA sees the opportunity for women’s basketball to grow the game even more.”

With the success of this year’s women’s tournament and bracket challenges, the attention and support for women’s sports is definitely growing. Major sports companies like ESPN, which had 1.5 million women’s Tournament Challenge brackets made this year, have seen the shift in attention to women’s sports and are making efforts to cater to that audience (ESPN will be launching a WNBA. fantasy app for this upcoming season next month, the first company to create a fantasy league for a professional women’s sports league). While these are important strides being made by the NCAA, ESPN and others to grow the world of women’s sports, there is still much more that needs to be done.

“I think as women and as part of a minority group, we’ve taken great steps forward but definitely there are more steps to take,” said Benzan. “We’re proud to be women’s basketball players, you know, and we’re proud to show our game.”

The post NCAA Women’s Tournament Takes Steps Toward Equality appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

The Peacocks are a 15-seed in this year’s tournament, and on Thursday they were set to face off against a team that many predicted as this year’s champion, the 2-seed Kentucky Wildcats. Saint Peter’s went on to pull off the biggest upset of the first round in this year’s tournament by beating the Wildcats 85-79 in Overtime. They were led by their star guard Daryl Banks III, who scored 27 points, and their sixth man Doug Edert, who added another 20 points.

The St. Peter’s Peacocks celebrating their win against the Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Courtesy of Rich Behan

“Our guys stepped up to the level of competition, so hats off to them. Proud of my guys for battling, like we do all year,” said Head Coach Shaheen Holloway after the win against Kentucky, “No disrespect to anybody, but we wasn’t coming down here just to lose. We came down here to fight and we did.”

Although the players entered the tournament with confidence, they were still aware of how much was at stake, since it is something they have dedicated their whole lives to get to.

“I felt like every basketball player’s dream is to play in the NCAA Tournament and make a run in it, and it felt amazing to get this first win and we are looking to get more,” said Edert, when asked about the emotions that he felt as he sank the game-winning free-throws. 

On Saturday, the Peacocks were matched up against the 7-seed Murray State Racers in the second round of the tournament. Although Saint Peter’s was coming off a huge win against Kentucky, the Racers were still favored by 8.5 points going into the game. That didn’t matter to the Peacocks, as they went on to win 70-60 in a game where forward KC Ndefo scored 17 points and tallied 10 rebounds as well. 

“I got guys from New Jersey and New York City. You think we’re scared of anything? You think we’re worried about guys trying to muscle us and tough us out?” said Coach Holloway, when asked about the lack of strength and size that Saint Peter’s had compared to Murray State. 

The team continued to preach that although they are enjoying what they are doing, they are focused on the task at hand and will continue to handle the preparation for each game with maturity.

“As far as the Sweet 16, again, it’s another quick turnaround. And we’re not going to get too high. What we did is amazing, but it’s already in the past, and we’ve got to move on and start preparing for the next team,” said Edert. 

With that win, the Peacocks became only the third #15 seed to reach the Sweet 16 in NCAA Tournament history. The other two teams to do it were the FGCU Eagles in 2013 and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles in 2021. 

With a game against the Purdue Boilermakers coming up in the Sweet 16 on Friday, fans have one question on their minds, what is it that makes this team so special? 

Rich Behan at Gainbridge Fieldhouse prior to the game between the St. Peter’s Peacocks and the Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Courtesy of Rich Behan

Rich Behan, a Digital Media/Communications Graduate Assistant at Saint Peter’s, believes that coach Holloway is one of the main reasons for their success. 

“Watching these guys at practice almost everyday, there isn’t a coach in the country that’s as tough on his guys but genuinely cares about them the way Shaheen Holloway and this coaching staff does,” said Behan, “You have to grind for everything here at Saint Peter’s, and you can tell this team is a labor of love from everyone involved.”

Saint Peter’s became the first team from New Jersey to reach the Sweet 16 since Seton Hall in 2000. The point guard for that team was Shaheen Holloway. His work-ethic, along with the culture that he fosters for his teams, is quickly making him a New Jersey basketball legend. With a chance to become the first 15-seed ever to make the Elite Eight, Behan knows that although victory is far-fetched, this team can get as far as anyone with their hard work and commitment. 

“I’d be selling the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in this program short if I didn’t say they could go out and win the whole damn thing,” said Behan.

The post A Cinderella Story From New Jersey  appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

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Unlike the Navarro team that made it back to NCA College Nationals this year after losing a year to the pandemic shut down, NYU’s team remains unable to compete.

“[NYU] mandated that any overnight travel over two days was completely declined and not allowed,” said Ciara Kalia-Taye Smith, Co-Captain and senior at NYU.“So that was the end of our preparation for nationals.”

 NYU Cheer was prepared for Nationals with their most competitive routine yet. When Autumn Kovach started as the volunteer head coach five years ago, the team was at 20 people, two of which could do handstands. Today, Kovach has grown it to a competitive program of 70 people and two teams. NYU Cheer had never before competed at the level they planned to this April, with four stunts in the highest difficulty and over half of the team throwing difficult tumbling skills.

“It’s extremely frustrating to know that in 2020, everyone was canceled,” said Kovach. “2021, there was a virtual option. That was really hard, because there were still schools going. This year, I think almost every single school, at least that I know of, is planning on going, so we are the only ones I know of who are not allowed.”

NCA Nationals is the team’s only competition of the year, taking place on April 6-10 of this year. NYU’s mandate is no overnight travel for more than two days for club sports only, not for varsity sports. NYU’s varsity sports include basketball, swimming, soccer, volleyball, wrestling, fencing, cross country, tennis, golf, track and field, while NYU’s club sports include cheerleading, badminton, cycling, dance team, equestrian, figure skating, ice hockey, judo, karate, kendo, lacrosse, latin and ballroom dance, rowing, running, sport taekwondo, squash, frisbee, table tennis, water polo, and ultimate frisbee. 

NYU 2021-2022 cheer team hitting their pyramid stunts at practice. Photo courtesy of Head Coach Autumn Kovach

“It definitely feels unfair especially because NYU as a collective is not a sports school,” said Smith. “We have varsity sports, but they’re D3. We put together a solid routine that could have placed high this season. It feels unfair because [varsity sports] are still practicing and competing right now. No one else can even use the gym.”

While some schools take their cheerleading program seriously, it is not officially recognized by the NCAA or the U.S. Federal Title IX guidelines as a sport. 

“I think Big 10 schools and a lot of state schools take the sport seriously despite how good or bad they may be,” said Smith. “Since the Netflix docu-series “Cheer” came out, I think people have opened their eyes more to cheerleading as a sport. We compete at the same competition as the teams on the show.”

Club sports haven’t only been restricted in the overnight travel mandate, they were also unable to use NYU gyms or practice until October, while varsity sports were able to begin practicing at the start of the semester.

“There’s two problems with [cheer becoming a varsity sport],” said Kovach. “One is that cheerleading is not accepted as a part of the title nine component, and that’s a supreme court decision from many years ago, so even if I bid at NYU for us to become a varsity sport, which is possible, I could see the school saying ‘you’re not a NCAA sanctioned sport,’ so most schools will not put cheerleading in their varsity sports category because of that reason.”

While the team is looking forward to next year, this was many students’ last chance to compete in their cheerleading career.

“It was the first time we actually had all the pieces to place with the really good teams,” said Smith. “This is my last year cheering, there’s nothing really for cheer post-college. It sucks that this is how I have to wrap up my year.”

Even without being able to compete, the team’s camaraderie and spirit is strong.

“Here in the city, the only people you really see are the ones in your classes,” said Isabel Solivan, a sophomore who joined the team her freshman year. “It’s nice to grow bonds and work together towards a common goal. Especially since Covid, it’s meant so much and made my NYU experience so much better.”

Despite the setbacks, the team plans to stay optimistic for NCA Nationals next year. With more members than they’ve ever had and both gameday and competitive teams, they plan on continuing to grow the program and develop even more difficult skills. 

“We’re planning on just pushing ahead,” said Kovach. “This year we wanted to add an advanced team, but because of the late start we couldn’t. Next year, I’d like to see us continue what we started – having the advanced program, an intermediate program, and the gameday program. Since this semester is no longer stressful for us, we can start learning advanced skills for next year, so I’m excited for that.”

The post NYU Covid Protocols Halt Cheer Team from Competing at Nationals appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

The first game of the Saturday slate was the Cincinnati Bengals visiting the Tennessee Titans. Second year Quarterback, Joe Burrow, was starting in his second career playoff game against star Running Back, Derrick Henry, who was coming back from a nearly season ending ankle injury. 

The underdog Bengals were up for the majority of the game, and just when it looked like the game was getting away from them, an interception in the last few minutes of the game put them in position to kick the game winning field goal as time expired. Bengals win 19-16.

Longtime fan, David Bookheimer, was confident that they matched up well against the Titans. Bookheimer, of Cincinnati, went to the Wildcard Weekend game vs the Las Vegas Raiders, where the Bengals ended a 31-year drought without winning a playoff game.

“Paul Brown Stadium set an attendance record and all the fans brought a ton of energy and were eager to end our playoff drought,” said Bookheimer. “You can really sense that there is a new era of football in Cincinnati.”

David Bookheimer and his girlfriend at the Bengals Wild Card game vs the Raiders. Courtesy of David Bookheimer

The second game of the night was a matchup between the number one seeded Green Bay Packers and the number six seeded San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was trying to end a run of bad playoff fortune against the team that passed on him in the 2005 draft.

The Packers seemed to have control of the game, but a couple blunders on special teams gave the 49ers a chance to get back in the game, and with a chance to put the game away on the last play, kicker Robbie Gould, who has never missed a kick in his playoff career, sent it right through the uprights. 49ers win 13-10. 

49ers fan, Enis Jashari, 23, is one of the many people who are calling this the best weekend of football they have ever witnessed.

“This was the best weekend in football history,” said Jashari, “My brother, my dad and I were all watching the 49ers game while working at our pizzeria.”

Jashari has seen his team lose two Super Bowls in person, but he is hoping this year could be the year he finally sees his team raise the Lombardi Trophy.

“I was screaming as loud as I could as me and my family were celebrating another NFC championship title shot!” said Jashari.

On the other hand, Michael Rocca, of Columbus, Ohio, grew up as a big Packers fan, and he was surprised to see the Packers lose to the 49ers in the playoffs once again. Rodgers is now 0-4 against the 49ers in his playoff career, which are the most losses by a player against any opponent in playoff history. 

“Where I’m from, not loving football is not an option,” said Rocca, “I was excited for the chance to get back at the 49ers after many frustrating playoff defeats in the past decade.

It looks like Packers fans will have to wait another year for that playoff success they have been longing for.

The first game on Sunday was a battle between the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the four seeded Los Angeles Rams. Tom Brady was looking to lead his team to another Super Bowl, but Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was just coming off of his first playoff career win, had something else in mind.

The Rams took a big lead in the second half at 27-3, but Brady and the Bucs mounted a huge comeback after multiple Rams turnovers and tied it 27-27 with less than a minute to go. But a couple completions from Stafford to triple crown winner, Cooper Kupp, set them up to win the game on a last second field goal. Rams win 30-27

After the loss, there are now rumors that Brady might be considering retiring, but the 44-year old QB has definitely proven that he still has a lot left in the tank if he decides to continue his career. 

The final game of the weekend was an all-time great matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. People were calling the Rams vs Bucs game the best game of the year, but they quickly changed their mind after watching the Chiefs vs Bills square up in the playoff rematch.

Tony Romo “this is the best football game in NFL history”

— Sun Min Kimes (@sunminkimes) January 24, 2022

The Chiefs had beat the Bills in the AFC Championship last year, so the Bills and their fans were out for revenge. It all looked like they would accomplish the feat as they took a three-point lead with 13 seconds to go after Quarterback Josh Allen and Wide Receiver Gabriel Davis combined for their fourth touchdown (an NFL record) of the game. But Patrick Mahomes showed once again that he is the greatest quarterback in the league by leading a drive that would tie the game in only 13 seconds.

The Chiefs would go on to win the coin toss and win the game in overtime, and this would lead to people all over Twitter begging the NFL to change their overtime rules, which allows for only one team to get the ball if a touchdown is scored on the first possession of OT. Chiefs win 42-36.

This is as good a time as any to remind everyone how much the NFL overtime rules suck.

There’s no way, after four quarters of this game, that you can tell me there’s ANY reason that both offenses shouldn’t get one possession MINIMUM in OT.

— Al Smizzle (@AlZeidenfeld) January 24, 2022

Grant Turner with his family at the Bills Wild Card game vs the Patriots. Courtesy of Grant Turner

Diehard Bills fan, Grant Turner, of Rochester, was devastated to see his team lose yet another heartbreaker.

“The game (against the Chiefs) was like a roller coaster, especially in the fourth quarter,” said Turner, “I was in shock at the end of the game, I could not believe that was it.”

But when talking about what makes the game so special to him, he was proud to acknowledge that he was a member of Bills Mafia. 

“I think it comes from how being a Bills fan is like being part of a big football family,” said Turner, “Seeing someone with Bills gear automatically makes them one of your best friends.”

 Fans will be glued to the TV’s next week as the Chiefs host the Bengals in the AFC Championship and the Rams host the 49ers in the NFC Championship. 

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Pushing through the pain, convincing her mind that she can finish, ignoring all the self doubt, dedicating multiple hours a day, spending time away from her family, and making it one of her top priorities for months at a time, is what she and all marathon runners face when they decide to tackle the 26.2 mile run and longer.

“I was very naive when I signed up,” she said. “I knew I was going to have to be more disciplined with training, but I didn’t know how much time training for a marathon takes from your daily life,” she said. 

Havlin, 45, a native of Pirapozinho, Brazil, has learned the importance of finding a balance between work, family and running. She currently lives in São Paulo where she does most of her training throughout the year.  

“Even though the family is not running with you, they are all a part of the plan,” Havlin said. “What I learned other than the physical training itself…is how to balance and plan your day around your training and your family stuff, so we can all get along because it can be a mess.”

Havlin is  a married mom with three daughters. Her training schedule often gets in the way of enjoying her family. She has had to say no to trips to the park, family ski trips and vacations.

Havlin began running in 2015 and has run a total of 15 marathons, including one ultramarathon. In early November, she ran the New York City Marathon for the second time. Competing against her own times is one of the reasons she keeps coming back for more, but it’s not the only one.

“I compare running a marathon to like getting pregnant…because it’s not all pretty being pregnant, but once you see the baby you forget about everything,” said Havlin, “Once you cross the finish line, you almost forget every single thing that was hard to do and then you come back for more, it’s the joy, the excitement and you look back at all the parts that were not so beautiful and still you made it there, that’s what keeps me coming back.”

Ultimately, Havlin wants to participate in more ultramarathons, which is any race longer than 26.2 miles.

Renato Amaral, 50, a marathoner from São Paulo, began running in 1997 and has run so many marathons that he has lost track of the exact number. 

“I can tell you that including marathons and ultras, I have certainly done more than 50,” he said.

Renato Amaral at the Comrades Marathon with his green number 48418. Courtesy of Renato Amaral

Amaral has run 19 ultramarathons, including the Comrades Marathon 16 times. The Comrades is the largest and oldest ultramarathon in the world, located in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The Comrades is about 55 miles long and has had fields of up to 23,000 runners at a time.

Amaral, who ran it for the first time in 2001, is an ambassador for the race, promoting its rich history and what it represents, primarily in Brazil. His goal is to run it 20 times, 

In 2014 and 2015, Amaral also took part in the Unogwaja Challenge, which requires cycling for hundreds of miles the day before the Comrades Marathon.

“We cycled 1700 kilometres (roughly 1000 miles)  in 10 days and the following day we ran the Comrades,” said Amaral of the charity ride, “This 11 day challenge is the toughest challenge I’ve ever participated in.”

The challenge started in honor of Phil Masterton-Smith, who in 1933 cycled from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg because he didn’t have train fare to get to the Comrades. He then ran the marathon the next day.

Amaral said the mental aspect is extremely important when running. He said that it is vital to be able to withstand the pain during training and while racing.

“The mental strength that the person will develop and achieve is something incomparable,” said Amaral. “When a person finishes a marathon, they realize that there are many things that people think that are not possible, but you should believe that if you put your energy and focus on it, you can do it.”

Dr. Justin Ross, who is a clinical psychologist, marathoner, triathlete, and cofounder of Mind Body Health, is an advocate of developing psychological skills that help runners achieve their goals. 

“The starting point is endurance sports is determining the importance and meaning behind your goals,” Ross said on the Strength Running Podcast, “You can’t just think you can create mental toughness at mile 20 of a marathon if you haven’t figured out what that means for you throughout your training.”

Amaral said that he began running in 1997 because his goal was to finish the Ironman. The Ironman is a Triathlon event consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22 mile run, raced in that order. He accomplished it in 2005, but when talking about his proudest achievement he had something different in mind. 

“I always say that the most proud achievement in my life is the next one,” said Amaral, “So I am always aiming to be better in my next race.”

At the end of the day, all marathoners have different aspirations in mind. While some goals seem more attainable than others, many of them set goals that will take multiple tries to accomplish.

Zilma Rodrigues, 48, of Curitiba, Brazil, has dedicated a large part of her life to competing in these events, but her goal is to finish the Spartathlon. The Spartathlon is a 153 mile race held in Greece since 1983, between Athens and Sparta. 

Rodrigues loves the history of the marathons, and she cites it as one of her main reasons for competing.

“The ultramarathon is one of the oldest sports and to be able to follow the same path as Pheidippides is a great inspiration,” said Rodrigues, “Running a historic route is very exciting.”

The legend of Pheidippides says that he ran from Marathon, Greece to Athens, Greece to deliver the news about the victory of the battle of Marathon. His story is the inspiration behind the Marathon race. 

The Spartathlon is known for having rainy weather with rough and muddy paths, not to mention its most well known obstacle for most of the runners, a 1,200 meter ascent and descent of Mount Parthenio in the middle of the night.

Despite competing in the event two different times, Rodrigues has not been able to reach the finish line. She said the climb of Mount Parthenio is one of the most difficult challenges for her. Between 1982 and 2019, only 3504 racers finished the Spartathlon. She said  it was a disappointing feeling but something that she is grateful for. 

“When you work hard for a dream and even leave other things aside, at the moment it’s a sadness, a feeling of impotence, feeling that you are not good enough,” said Rodrigues, “There are few in the ultramarathon world that are lucky to be in Athens, so this frustration gives way to the hope of being able to start over and try again and believe that we are capable of anything if we have dedication and love in what we want to accomplish.” 

Rodrigues’ has 31 marathons and 44 ultramarathons on her resume and has accomplished so much, but she is not satisfied. She is confident that she can be one of the few people to finish the race. 

“I’m still trying to learn to run long races, trying to learn to bear the pain of workouts and one day finally kiss or kick Leonidas’ feet in Sparta,” she said.

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The 26-year-old boxer immigrated to  the United States  from Guyana when he was boy and grew up on the same street as famed former boxer Mike Tyson. Solomon describes himself as a kid who was once short and skinny with a big head, but all of that changed as he grew older.

Solomon now stands at 6 feet, 7 inches tall. He said as he grew, he began feeling like he was too big for an office job. He wanted to find a job he could love and find purpose in. With boxing, he found that. 

He is currently training for a  Nov. 13  fight  in New Hampshire. 

Pro Boxer Nkosi Solomon looks at himself in the mirror while he preparing for his pre-training stretches. He said this also gives him a workout before the workout, as he sweats just a little bit before the intensive training. Photo by Nathan Morris

The peeled sole of Solomon’s boxing boot. It does not phase him as he engages in stretching before he begins sparring. Photo by Nathan Morris

Solomon lands a punch on the pad held by his coach Don Saxby. He considers this an intensive part of training because it is fast-paced and focus-based. Nathan Morris

The gloves of Solomon’s first fight as a pro boxer. He lost his first pro fight, and he keeps it on the wall of his dining room as a reminder and motivation to not lose again. Photo by Nathan Morris

Solomon pumps himself up while training. “You know, I used to be short and skinny with a big head when I was a kid,” he said. Photo by Nathan Morris

Solomon listens to instruction from his coach during his heavy bag exercise. Photo by Nathan Morris

Solomon participates in a heavyweight sparring match. Many of those training inside the gym stop to watch him spar six rounds. Photo by Nathan Morris

Solomon and his sparring partner, Pryce Taylor, at the end of their sparring match. Solomon said that they both know how each other fights and that the match was bound to be exciting. Photo by Nathan Morris

Solomon takes a breather near the end of his training day. Photo by Nathan Morris

A graduation photo of  Solomon, with the lanyard he wore as part of Team USA’s boxing team hang on his living room wall.  His mom wants it there as a reminder of his accomplishments. Photo by Nathan Morris

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“It’s important for athletes to talk about mental health because it encourages everyone to talk about it and be more aware of it,” said Cameron Dobbs, a student assistant coach for the University of Miami Hurricanes volleyball team and a former player herself. “Also, athletes need to know they’re not alone and that it’s okay to struggle and learn along the way.”

After gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from some Olympic events and Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open because of mental health concerns and general stress, conversations were started about the importance of athletes taking care of their mental health. 

“I think there’s an under emphasis on mental aspects on the court, like how to focus on your game, but also the health side of things, like making sure you’re taking care of yourself,” said Alex Yang, the captain of the New York University men’s tennis team. “And all that stress off the court feeds into our performance on court, and as captain, I want to address it more on our team.”

Dr. Abraham Chileuitt, a sports neurologist that focuses on concussions in Miami, Florida, said many of his patients often come in with other mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, which could be worsened if they suffered a head injury.

“Everything they do is scrutinized, their performance, their game,” he said. “Unfortunately, a lot of times the scrutiny is more negative than positive.”

While this may be a new media discussion, the mental health problems of athletes have been happening for decades. During the pandemic, student-athletes had both their athletic and academic careers come to a standstill. 

“I got admitted to NYU three weeks before everything shut down in the city,” said Candice Saxod, a swimmer for New York University. “And it disconnected me from my normal life and routine, and for a year I didn’t have classes in person. So, having to go back to in-person is  really tiring, like today I had my first college exam in person, and I completely freaked out.”

But, Saxod is hopeful that things will return to normal once she has time to adapt.

“It’s just small details that you used to get used to again, and those things take time,” said Saxod. “There’s different ways of handling things, and it just takes time.”

Yang was considering quitting tennis earlier in his career to focus on academics and other interests. However, during the pandemic, he had a break from his sport and competitions for months. 

“It’s always good, I think, to get a mental break,” said Yang. “And I think in those four months, there was no stress, no pressure, and I actually grew to love the sport a lot more. The break gave me more perspective and reminded me that it is just a sport and I have to still take care of myself.”

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