Southern California All-American lends big hand to young yoga students
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
"But in his last days as a Trojan, Banner and his teammate volunteers stood, not in the face of helmeted behemoths, but on yoga mats, twisted into poses alongside impoverished youth inside USC’s private athletic facility.
When the tiniest hands in the room reached for the sky, so did the biggest. When it was time to stand on one foot, players helped buoy their neighbors."
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Zach Banner breaks it down to conclude Trojan Zen. (Video by Ben Wong)
Gonzaga’s Mathews An Impact Player, On and Off the Court
by Ben Wong
Monday April 3, 2017
SANTA MONICA, California – When it comes to sports, Santa Monica High School basketball coach James Hecht and art teacher Amy Bouse are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Hecht, who also teaches algebra at “Samohi,” is a pillar in the athletic program. He has coached basketball at his alma mater for 23 years and believes that the gym, like the classroom, is a place that develops and reveals character.
Bouse is not a sports fan. She doesn’t quite understand how people can blindly pledge allegiance to a group of athletes they don’t know or why anyone would yell at a TV.
But when you talk to either educator about their former pupil, current Gonzaga shooting guard Jordan Mathews, Hecht and Bouse gush pride and admiration.
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Click here to read at the Santa Monica Daily Press
To view more photography from Scotty Bara, click the image below
University of California, Berkley player Jordan Mathews (No. 24), defends against Arizona State University Sun Devil Tra Holder (No. 0). (Photo by Scotty Bara/Cronkite News)
Passion, hard work pay off for Valley NASCAR driver McDowell
Friday, April 28, 2017
LOS ANGELES – When Michael McDowell first visited the Phoenix Kart Racing Association track, it was not to drive but to clap and cheer for his brother’s friend. Engulfed in the competitive atmosphere and a witness to Arizona’s love for the sport, the experience captivated him.
It did not take long for the racing bug to bite and McDowell quickly transitioned from supportive spectator to competitive racer.
“I was there every week, every other weekend, from the time I was 8 years old until I moved away in 2004,” McDowell said. “It’s where I grew up.”
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Michael McDowell waves to the race-day crowd before the Auto Club 400 in Fontana, CA. (Photo by Juan Ocampo)
City Council approves LA 2024 Olympics bid
Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017
“In 2024, we want to be a Games-changer again. We want the world to see the very best in us here in Los Angeles, the best in this country, and to show a country engaged and of and in the world.” - Mayor Eric Garcetti
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Michael Johnson, a 4-time gold medalist and former world record holder in the 200-meter sprint, addresses the crowd in Grand Park following the Los Angeles City Council vote. (Photo by Benjamin Wong/Cronkite News)
