Rough Ending Gives Promise

For my second time around in the choice blog, I have decided to write about our JV football season that ended yesterday.  We have finished with a 6 and 3 record, losing to the St. Mary's Lancers, Depew Wildcats, and the Cheektowaga Warriors.  We hosted the Warriors last night, on a very rainy and muddy night.  This game was our last game of the season and the last JV football game for a lot of us, including me.  Cheektowaga had too much speed unfortunately as they defeated us in a very close and entertaining game, 24 to 21.  Our season was all about being the underdogs.  Most people doubted us, said we were too small and lost too many players.  We did lose a lot of players from our undefeated season last year, but we overcame adversity and beat the odds.  We had some kids step up big time, Phil Zobrest and Erik Feitshans were monsters on defense, Ryan Richards and Dylan Dussault had huge games offensively when we needed them.  Freshman Alex Schweitzer, Chris Lamb, Aryton Blankenberg came in and were big contributors in their first JV season.  Honestly I think that if a couple big plays were prevented we could have and should have gone 8 and 1.  Against Depew we played awful and they played great in my opinion.  If we came out a little more ready to play maybe we are able to make it a game.  I was very happy with our season, even though it had a rough ending it gave me some confidence for the future when I am in my senior year and this group of guys are back together again.  Maybe if we all get bigger and better we make a solid run in the playoffs and surprise a lot of people.

My Bright Future

I have considered my future a lot, and I think I have a pretty good idea of what I would like to do.  I have for the most part thought about two potential careers.  One is what I really wish to do and that is to play baseball beyond high school.  I play a ton of baseball in every season whether it is practicing or actually playing games.  Baseball is definitely my favorite sport and I try and improve my skills everyday as much as I can to make myself better in the future.  I'd love to go to a division 1 school and play baseball somewhere.  I know that the chances of me making it professionally are not high but that would be very cool and I am going to continue trying to excel in that sport.  My other choice is to become a broadcaster or a journalist.  I really enjoy writing which is why I have been involved in the Newspaper Club and writing for The Bulldog which is our school newspaper.  I'd like to go to a very nice school preferably a Division 1 school so I can enjoy and a cool atmosphere like at football games and basketball games.  I think about my future almost every day and honestly I cannot wait for college and life to come because I am excited for the opportunities I am going to come upon.  If all goes well, I think I am going to have a very successful life, and career.  I think that if I keep accomplishing my goals in high school, like making honor roll every quarter, and staying involved in clubs and sports, I will be able to do what I would like to do.  I feel that I am very capable of accomplishing my life goals.

Without Question

So far in my sophomore year, I have been happy and also having some success in all of my classes.  This year I am taking; Geometry, Earth Science, Spanish 3, Online Publishing, Global 2, English 10, and Sports & Entertainment Marketing.  All of these classes are unique in their own way whether the class is interesting, or fun, or even boring.  I am pleased with my teachers and their styles of teaching.  Now, although I like all of my classes, everyone has to have a favorite.  Online Publishing has to be the unanimous vote, even though that there is only one vote, which would be me, so in that case it is obviously unanimous.  Online Publishing is my favorite because for one, it is the "BEST CLASS EVER!" as Mr. Currin says every day when he walks in the door.  This class is meant to make you a better writer, and I think it has been making me one.  It gives you that actual work office atmosphere as if you were actually in an office where you just write and write every day.  When I grow up one thing I have been considering has been to become a journalist or maybe a broadcaster or something in that area.  This class gives me a great start on to my journey of journalism.  This class has helped me develop in my writing skills.  I am currently writing for our own Varsity Football team, I write for the online school newspaper, The Bulldog.  I also have published articles for the Alden Advertiser, which will possibly help me in my future.  I wish to continue taking this class into next year, as there is an Online Publishing II.  If everything stays intact with the budget class sizes, I will be signing up once again.  These are only a few of the many reasons of why this is my favorite class.

My Hero

I am currently in 10th year of schooling, and I've had some awesome teachers and coaches.  I have played three sports every year since 7th grade and every year and coach has been good to me.  I think one that stands out to me as a coach and a substitute teacher has been Andy Smith, or as many people would know him, Coach Smith.  He is a coach of the JV Boys Soccer team, Boys Varsity Basketball team, and also coaches the JV Baseball team.  I have been around Coach Smith since the winter of 8th grade which was the starting of modified basketball.  This was when I really got to know him and how cool he really is.  Since this season, Coach and I have become really close, and I have enjoyed this because the fact the he is a little younger than most and is able to connect with me and all of the other kids he has coached.  For example, he is able to practice and interact with his players, he's one of the few coaches that actually knows a quite a bit about the games he coaches because he played them.  In fact, he still plays those sports today in his free time.  I think he has made me a better player in my specific areas of sports, along with making me a better person.  He knows how to have fun, but most importantly when it is time to get serious, he gets the job done.  When the going gets tough in the game, he takes the blame for it and makes adjustments.  He wins games and that’s all that really matters and he was rewarded, with a chance to coach a varsity sport this upcoming winter.  He is a phenomenal person and a coach, and I hope I am able to keep in touch with him for a long time.

Another Case of Bullying

 This article about the young 14-year old boy Jamey Rodemeyer committing suicide from bully is a very sad and reoccurring event.  As it says in the article there is no law in New York State for bullying, and that is a huge problem.  If they do not try and put a stop to this it is going to continue.  Jamey for the most part had this problem his entire life, and just after starting freshman year at WIlliamsville North High School, he took his life.  The support he got from family and friends was not enough, even though they all thought he was strong enough.  Kids in his school made anonymous slurs to him on a social-networking website called formspring.  Jamey made some videos on YouTube trying to help other kids with his same problem with bullying, and hopefully his ideas and positive thinking have helped other people.  Jamey killed himself after writing a final farewell.  Lady Gaga has been attempting to help out in this situation as well.  It was only fitting that Lady Gaga being Jamey's idol and favorite singer.  She tweeted about it and said that she personally would like to speak to the president to try and stop bullying and make a law for it in New York State.  The police are trying to investigate and trying to figure out if there should be any consequences to the kids who may possibly be involved in the death of Jamey.  Since bullying is not illegal in New York, they have to check how old they are.  Pending on if the kids involved are 16 or older will decide if they even have a chance at going to juvenile court or not.  Bullying is an awful thing and must be stopped as soon as possible.  Maybe if they are able to make a law about bullying then there will be a stoppage in it.

Best Restaurants

I think that there a lot of different and unique restaurants in the town of Alden.  A few that stand out to me though, are Darrow's and McGavin's.  These two restaurants have some quality food and are pretty popular around here.  Darrow's and McGavin's are both relatively new here.  Darrow's used to be the old Alden Bar&Grill, and McGavin's used to be the old Cricket Club.  Both places in my opinion are fantastic, the people are nice and like I said the food is phenomenal.  I was just at Darrow's the other day with my mom and some friends and I felt as if the service was great and my food was too.  I had a B.L.T. on bread I haven't had before.  So I hesitated as some people would trying new things, but I'm very happy I did elect to take it because I thought it was pretty good and would definitely do it again.  At McGavin's just like at Darrow's the service is very good.  I haven't been there in a while but when I do, I am usually pleased with the food there and the different selections I am able to make.  Now even though those are my two favorite restaurants, my favorite food has to come from the local pizza place: Carbone's.  By far the best pizza I've had in Alden and around Western New York.  They never put too much cheese on the pizza and just enough sauce.  Their subs are amazing there as well.  If I can I try and buy a sub before every sporting even I am participating in whether it's football, basketball, or baseball.  I always buy a turkey club sub with lettuce tomatoes and mayonnaise and it is always of high quality.  These restaurants all have great food and service quality and I am very pleased with them.

Lunches No Match for Tacos

I have been starting to buy mostly every day since 6th grade, but now I'm starting to bring my lunch in my sophomore year.  Although that is happening I have had a couple great school lunches.  In the middle school I never really bought any of the pizza, it was either salad or the main lunch.  But coming into the high school and this whole new kind of pizza, I felt I had to try it.  The first day of freshman year I had it and I thought it was very good.  It is called Big Daddy pizza here, and in the first semester of sophomore I would say that it still has great quality for the most part.  I do still buy it every now and then.  Salad has also been a huge part of my lunch buying and that usually never disappoints.  Last year I think I had my best salad by far.  Spaghetti days are awesome too.  Mainly because of the best snack I think I've ever had in school and that is, "The Big Cookie Day."  Humongous chocolate chip cookies that is soft and warm and very delicious.  Everyone rushes into the snack line just to get there and they ran out very quickly.  Although these lunches are all very good, in my book Taco Day is by far the best.  Soft-shell tacos, beef, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.  They have recently also gave you the option of the taco in a bag which is good as well.  This day will never get old and I look forward to it every other Thursday.  Taco Day is amazing, and when I know that tacos are for lunch I do my best to never miss a day.  This will probably always be my favorite; to me it never gets old.