Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Sports

Junior Julia Maecker: A good warmup

Junior Julia Maecker: A good warmup

Sophia Hwangbo, Online Editor, Photographer June 1, 2023

Junior Julia Maecker’s pregame routine, used throughout her 10 years as an athlete, helps her focus before swim meets. The night before, she eats carbohydrate-heavy foods — such as fruits and vegetables — and takes a soothing bath with salts. She then finishes by massaging her body with a massage...

Sophomore Giovanni Rischmoller: Retaining focus and checking in

Sophomore Giovanni Rischmoller: Retaining focus and checking in

Sophia Hwangbo, Online Editor, Photographer June 1, 2023

Sophomore Giovanni Rischmoller has played badminton since freshman year. At the beginning of this year’s season, he created a pregame routine to keep himself focused and calm during badminton matches. Before a match, Rischmoller takes three breaths with his eyes closed to clear his mind, then checks...

Road to recovery: Junior Nina Albers’ journey through two tough injuries

Road to recovery: Junior Nina Albers’ journey through two tough injuries

Vivian Studdert, Sports Editor May 20, 2023

Since the age of 7, water polo has been a pillar of junior Nina Albers’ life. Over the past 10 years, she has experienced the ups and downs that come with putting her all into a sport: Sweet victories strengthen her love for playing, and tough losses feel like rock bottom. Wins and losses aside, however,...

Sophomore Kanaan Kuartei: Basketball

Sophomore Kanaan Kuartei: Basketball

Kelvin Xu, Sports Editor May 20, 2023

Sophomore Kanaan Kuartei discovered basketball when he was 8 years old, and he has been playing it ever since. Although Kuartei didn’t start out enjoying basketball, the sport grew on him over the years. “(Even though) my dad picked (basketball) for me, I did learn to like it,” he said. “I...

The weight of gym culture: Student gym-goers experience ugly side of exercise

The weight of gym culture: Student gym-goers experience ugly side of exercise

Dan Honigstein, In-Depth Editor May 17, 2023

The rise of fitness-centered social media, the sheer number of local gyms and the popularity of school athletics have all contributed to the growth of fitness culture among Palo Alto teens. Some students workout together after school, turning their fitness ventures into social gatherings, while others...

Athletes strengthen skills during spring sports season

Athletes strengthen skills during spring sports season

Kenneth Soh and Ya-An Xue April 17, 2023

Baseball Junior Amrit Joshi described the strong bonds the baseball team has formed over the course of the season. “There’s a lot of camaraderie and we enjoy being around each other,” he said. “We have a kind of a brotherhood and bond that I don’t think can be met in any other way other...

The Oracle recommends new sports for Gunn athletics

The Oracle recommends new sports for Gunn athletics

Bryan Xiao, Lifestyle Editor, Assistant Business Manager April 17, 2023

Sport 1: Table Tennis As an official tournament in the Olympics with an estimated 300 million players worldwide, table tennis has cemented itself as one of the world’s most prominent sports. Part of its popularity comes from its adaptability–table tennis requires little space and minimal equipment....

Team, individual sports offer varying benefits

Team, individual sports offer varying benefits

Ellie Yuan, Social Media Editor April 14, 2023

Sports are often applauded for teaching valuable qualities, such as perseverance and patience. Team sports such as basketball and soccer require collaboration while individual sports such as tennis and wrestling emphasize self-reliance. It is beneficial to understand the key differences and similarities...

Varsity Dance Team competes at USA nationals, wins fourth place

Varsity Dance Team competes at USA nationals, wins fourth place

Kaitlyn Chen and Maddie Cheung March 24, 2023

“Full out, whole thing,” Dance coach Stephanie Anderson Ferris says as she starts the music. The dancers, trying their best to remember the new corrections and choreography changes that were just given, take their starting position. It’s the last five minutes of an 8:30 a.m. rehearsal on Friday,...

Sports spark opportunities for human connection, transcend social barriers

Sports spark opportunities for human connection, transcend social barriers

Carly Liao, Forum Editor March 24, 2023

According to a statistical study published in the book “Soccernomics” by economists Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski, the number of people who died by suicide in Europe each year decreased by an average of 682 people when their national soccer team played in a major tournament. One likely reason...

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