Those who would argue for the system would most often cite the fact that the system allows students to try new sports without the pressure of being cut. It gives students the opportunity to try new extracurricular activities and broaden their high school experience.

On the other hand, those against would argue that the “no-cut” policy eliminates the competition that results from the threat of being cut. Those more experienced and serious athletes may suffer from the inexperience of new players and lack of competition caused by the policy.

Yet, as a student athlete who has experienced this policy for the past three years it seems to me that the system falls into the gray area between these two arguments. Clearly the policy allows students to try new things while at the same time it may eliminate the competition caused by the possibility of being cut.

There is a truth to the claim that competition is weakened by the “no-cut” policy. Without the fear of being cut from the team, some players simply go through the motions in practice and lack true dedication. These actions, which may cause the player to be cut in other circumstances, affect the team in multiple ways. This player’s attitude may infect other players like a disease causing them to become lazy and unmotivated.

However, the competition is instilled by coaches who are not required to play all players, thus there is no guarantee for playing time.

There is also no guarantee that any one player will start in a game. Therefore players must compete in practice in order to earn their spots and their minutes. Coaches are able to encourage a desire for excellence and the will to win by utilizing the almighty power of the bench. If players do not meet the coach’s expectations, it is very easy for a coach to get the message across by simply not letting them play.

Although coaches have the tools to encourage players to work harder, it is far more difficult to get players to become more dedicated. This lack of dedication is part of the reason CHS athletic teams are not very successful.

This is not to say that CHS has no talented or dedicated athletes, it certainly does, but most students, fitting into the Clayton standards, are more into the academic aspects of school, which is shown through the continued success of CHS academic teams.

For many students sports are simply an extracurricular activity either for enjoyment or for the purpose of putting it on a college transcript. Thus, the “no-cut” policy gives these students the perfect opportunities to pursue such activities. It allows students to try new things simply for the fun of it without the pressure caused by a cut policy.

Ultimately, the “no-cut” policy offers benefits to all students, whether they are all-star athletes or simply playing for the enjoyment. The policy is not to blame for a team’s failure or the lack of competition and dedication. There are many reasons CHS athletics are not superior and from my experience the biggest culprits are the players on the team. A lack of drive and dedication can be found in all of Clayton athletic teams. It is the simple fact that there are not enough truly dedicated athletes to lead CHS teams to success.

So it seems, CHS athletics is not defined by its victories, but by the opportunities made available to the students to participate. And it is how they choose to participate that dictates the team’s success.

The football team is already hard at work preparing for the upcoming fall season.

The way the Greyhound football team prepares for a new school year may be slightly different than most.

While many students spend the week before school savoring their last moments of relaxation, the football team can be found sweating through two-a-days in hopes of fulfilling a promising season.

Two-a-days are a new addition to the team’s tough regimen this year.

“Having two-a-days has really helped,” sophomore and returning varsity player Tyler Walker said. “They get you in shape and make you work harder.”

Head coach Samuel Horrell agrees that two-a-days have benefitted the team.

“Any time you get more time to prepare for games, practice competition, get in some reps, and learn the game you put yourself in a position to be successful,” Horrell said.

Two-a-days aren’t the only dynamic changes being made to the Greyhounds.

Additions to the coaching staff and a new defensive formation have also been hallmarks of a fresh new season for the team.

Three new coaches have been added to the staff this year: Heath Kent as the special teams coach, Scott Weissman as the defensive coordinator, and Dan McMullin as the linebacker and wide receiver coach.
Weissman has played an especially essential role on the team, leading the defense in installing the new four-three formation. Nailing down this formation has taken a front seat in practices.

“Practices so far have focused on learning the new defense we have installed,” Horrell said. “Coach Weissman has the defensive guys excited and flying around making plays!”

Thanks to the dedication in practice, the defense seems to be progressing well.

“Our new defense is a strong point of the team,” senior and starting quarterback Chase Haslett said. “It does a good job of stopping the run.”

Practice doesn’t revolve solely around the defense, however. Early practices have been used to get the team in shape and focused on the upcoming season.

“In practice we make sure we’re going 100 percent,” junior Luke Ulrich said. “We focus on getting out there all day and working hard.”

The team held two scrimmages this summer in order to prepare for their jamboree to be held Aug. 20 at 5:30 p.m.

After coming off of a disappointing last season, the team is eager to prove their skill on the field.  With more experienced players and fresh motivation, the Greyhounds look forward to a more successful season this year.

“We have more wide receivers and depth and a more experienced offensive line this year than last year,” Haslett said. “I’m looking forward to winning a few games this year.”

Horrell agrees that the team’s experience in many positions is an advantage.

“We are returning four of five starters on the offensive line and returning a good quarterback this year,” Horrell said. “We also have some athletic players returning with good speed.”

Staying healthy will also be a focus of the team this year, as injuries constantly impeded last year’s team from reaching their full potential.

More than anything else, however, this year’s Greyhounds value and take pride in the heart they bring to the field.

“We have a lot of heart and we just have to want it more than the other team,” Walker said. “I’m really excited about this season.”

The Hounds started off the season on a good note defeating Webster Groves 9-6. It was a smooth ride from there improving their record to a perfect 9-0 before having to play defending Division II Missouri State Champs, Pembroke Hill.

On April 23, the Hounds took to the road for a long road trip to Kansas City where they would enter a three- game road trip against Blue Valley West, Pembroke Hill, and Northland. The Hounds won their first game against Blue Valley West 18-10. It was an easy match, but the true competition didn’t start until the next day against Division II Missouri State Champs, Pembroke Hill High School. Pembroke Hill is one of the better teams in the Hounds’ schedule this season. The Hounds lost that game dropping their record to 9-1 at the time. Following that match the Hounds played Northland and won with a strong 18-6 finish.

“We should’ve won all three of the games,” senior Captain Max Goldfarb said. “The Pembroke Hill loss hurt, especially since it was only by a goal. But we fought hard and I think we’ll be better for it.”

After a tough road trip the Hounds had a good week to prepare for their next two away games against Hazelwood Central and O’Fallon, IL. The first game against Hazelwood West was an easy one, winning the game 10-6. Five days later the Hounds traveled to O’Fallon, IL to face the O’Fallon Panthers. The game was between two of the top teams in the area, so it was a marquee matchup between two schools from both sides of the river. Unfortunately the Hounds had trouble finding the back of the net putting a lost in the books. The final score was 16-2.

“It was a tough loss, but we’re going to bounce back from it and win some big games,”sophomore Jon Matheny said.

The Hounds have three more games, which they look to win all of to improve their playoff seeding against Columbia Rockbridge, Parkway Central, and Ladue.

“We play Ladue may 14 at home. Hopefully we can get a lot of fans there,” senior Max Goldfarb said.

“We have been through a lot of trials, but I hope that they will make us much stronger next year and that we can pick up where we left off this season,” junior wide midfielder Helen Wiley said.

This season has been full of triumphs and tough, hard-fought losses.

“I think that we have had ups and downs,” junior midfielder Alison Bayly said. “There have been exciting goals and frustrating losses. All of the games have been really close this year.”

The team’s best moments have come when they work cohesively and put forth admirable effort during games.

“My favorite memory from the season so far was the Rosati-Kain game because we played with so much energy and everyone was clearly having a lot of fun,” Bayly said.

Wiley agrees that, even with such a demanding season and an exhausting sport, soccer can be intense and fun at the same time.

“I think my favorite memories of soccer are always when we manage to have fun while playing the game,” Wiley said.

The team has been led by junior captain Alison Bayly and senior captain Sonja Petermann.  The two have proved extremely valuable to this young, growing team. In fact, Petermann is the only senior on the team this year.

“This team is much younger than teams in the past have been,” Bayly said.

Last year’s graduating class left the team with many important spots to fill.

“In fact, half of the girls were seniors,” Wiley said. “This year we have a very young team that is generally quiet but has a lot of developing talent.”

This team has carried over some aspects from last year’s team, which played in the district championship game, but has also developed a unique identity.

“I think that a lot of the culture of last year’s team has tied over to this year but we still have a very different group of girls,” Wiley said. “Last year’s team was very vocal with many dominating personalities.”

The girls remain confident and driven, even as the season’s final games approach.

“I think that the team has developed quite a bit over the course of the season, but that our real success will come when we outwork a team for an entire game,” Wiley said.

The team also continues to set goals, which they hope to achieve by the end of this season.

“I think the team needs to work on communication and keeping up the intensity level in games,” Wiley said.

One strength of this year’s girls’ soccer team is the versatility and talent of its athletes.

“Although we are a young team, we have a lot of depth in a lot of positions,” Bayly said.

The team has relied on several strong talents to carry them through this season, including forwards Meg Sutter and Karley Woods, midfielder Alison Bayly, defenders Allison O’Neal and Katie Marvel, and goalie Bree Northern, among other skilled athletes.

“I think that there are a lot of great natural athletes on the team,” Bayly said.

Fortunately, many of these players are juniors and sophomores, and will continue to play next year.

“With the exception of Sonja’s leaving and a few new additions next year, the team will be comprised of a very similar group of people,” Wiley said. “This has been a growing year for our team.”

Bayly also cites the youth of the team as a potential asset, rather than a drawback.

“We are only losing one player, so hopefully our team will be able to grow even more as a unit,” Bayly said. “It will only be to our advantage that we are keeping a similar team, because we are really improving together.”

Several sophomores on the team have been particularly helpful, and have stepped up into significant roles as the season has progressed.  One example is sophomore Karley Woods, who stands out as a dominant force on the soccer field.  Her ability to maneuver the ball and her inexhaustible energy have brought intensity and talent to the team.

“Everyone has their individual strengths on the team but Karley Woods is one of the strongest players on the team,” Wiley said.

With this wide base of talent, the team is beginning to anticipate the end of the season, particularly district play.

“Most of the teams that we have played so far this year and that we will see again in districts are at a similar level,” Bayly said.

However, the team is still focused on the present, and will continue to take a measured approach as the end of the season draws near.

“Right now we are concentrating on making it through the regular season by being successful in our final games,” Wiley said. “We are really taking things one step at a time.”

“Our team is really positive and great to be with,” sophomore Jake Lee said. “It is a lot of fun to be with them, and we always have a really good time.”

Throughout the season, the team has always gotten along well and played to the best of their ability.

Any person who walks into a team meeting will see the two captains, senior Orion Wilkinson and senior Nick Kirchoff, taking control and giving great advice to their team.

“Everyone has known each other for two years so everyone knows their role on the team.,” Wilkinson said. “As a captain I make sure that everyone cheers on everyone else.”

Both captains will be gone at the end of the season along with seniors Sam Blumenthal and Eddie Du. Although they will be gone, they will not be forgotten for they have made a great impact on the team.

“It will be sad to not be with the team next year,” Kirchoff said. “We may all be leaving, but we will never forget how we have been together these past years and will always be happy to reflect back on it.”

Even though tennis is an individual sport, everyone on the team is important because one match could make the difference between winning and losing.

“It’s important to cheer every guy since any of them could win the crucial match for us,” Wilkinson said. “A lot of guys on the team have really stepped it up during important matches and really impressed everyone.”

While the players have been having a great time, so have the coaches. Suzy Luten and Rich Chappuis are the head coaches of the team.

“I really have loved every minute of coaching these boys,” Luten said. “I am really going to miss every single one of them. Each of them have really bonded and become a really close team.”

Districts are the second week of May, and there is a strong possibility the boys’ team could go to state.

“I am hoping the team will all go to state,” Luten said. “I am really excited to see Kirchoff and Wilkinson get to go back again hopefully, and maybe seeing Jake Lee and Jack Holds get to go as individuals also.”

Last year, Kirchoff and Wilkinson got third at state and this year they will hopefully to be a force to reckon with once again.

“We have worked really hard for state,” Kirchoff said. “We are ready to take it by storm this year and win. It is both of our senior years so we both have a really strong drive and we both know it is our last time. I know we are going to kill it.”

The ending to the years season is coming soon but the whole team worked together to win and learned to get along great.

“The comraderie that I have expierenced as part of the team at Clayton was awesome.” Wilkinson said. “Being with the team really has made me love tennis.”

“Lacrosse is one of my favorite activities, not only because it’s such a fun sport, but because of the other girls who play,” Bullard said. “I’ve gotten to know some people who I didn’t know before playing lacrosse.”

Bullard’s experience with lacrosse goes back to middle school club sports.

“I started playing lacrosse in sixth grade, and that kind of gave me an edge because I learned how to handle the ball a little bit,” Bullard said. “A small group of us started playing together in middle school and it just sort of took off.”

Since then, Bullard has enjoyed the challenges of the game.

“It’s really hard at first, but it gets to be fun,” Bullard said. “It’s really fast-paced. That’s what I like most about the game.”

With 21 goals and 19 assists this season, Bullard indubitably plays an important role on the team.

“Maddy is one of my most solid players,” coach Christina Perrino said. “I know I can count on her to move the ball down the field without giving up possession. She can protect the ball as defense double and triple team her, and consistently uses her left hand successfully.”

In addition to scoring goals, however, Bullard considers supporting her teammates to be a top priority.

“She knows when it’s best to pass to a teammate on offense in order to have a better scoring opportunity,” Perrino said.

Senior varsity lacrosse player Shelby Sternberg agrees that Bullard plays a key role in fostering team cooperation.

“She’s really good at motivating the team and she has a really good spirit all the time,” Sternberg said. “She’s one of our strongest offensive players, but she also just makes the team experience more positive.”

Bullard believes that her strengths include a “good game sense” and a focus on team cooperation.

“I’m not as much about getting my stats up,” Bullard said. “I’m more about doing what’s best for the team.”

Perrino notes that Bullard consistently puts the team’s needs ahead of her own, citing examples from Clayton’s May 4 game against Kirkwood.

“Even though she was in total pain from an ankle injury early in the game, Maddy fought through the pain and stepped up to play in overtime,” Perrino said. “Her efforts paid off, and I know it was only with her help that we were able to pull off the win.”

According to Bullard, focusing on team cooperation has paid off for the team.

“I think we’ve played hard in all our games and we should be proud of our work,” Bullard said. “I really hope to come out with a strong record this season.”

She hopes to continue playing at the club level in college. But, for now, she still has another year with the Lady Hounds.

“This season has been one of our best, and I’ve been really happy with how I’ve played this season,” Bullard said. “I hope my effort has added to the team’s success this year.”

This season, the senior is paired with fellow classman Nick Kirchoff as the team’s top doubles seed.  Thus far, the team pairing is 10-2.

“I’ve liked all my partners over the years because each of them had a different skill set that we were able to integrate into our games to win,” Wilkinson said.  “But Kirchoff gives the best high fives.”

Freshman year, Wilkinson was paired with class of 2007 graduate Bohan Li and his sophomore year with another senior in Dakin Sloss.  The last two years though, he has built a strong relationship with Kirchoff.

“It’s kind of like I’m the brains of the operation and Kirchoff is the brawn,” Wilkinson said.

The senior duo have lead the tennis Hounds to a team record of 9-3 thus far on the season and will look to win a state title this season.

The tennis district playoffs start next week at John Burroughs where Wilkinson and Kirchoff will be the one seed.

“Fans are always welcome to come watch me and Kirchoff put on a show,” Wilkinson said.

Wilkinson’s best watch actually came against the John Burroughs number one.

“I ended up losing 6-4, 4-6, 10-6 in a super tie breaker but I hit a tweener on set point to win the first set which was nice,” Wilkinson said.

Indeed Wilkinson will be looking to avenge that loss come district time.  If he can bring his A game, he and Kirchoff should be able to do that with ease.

“I mean if my volleys and backhand are really going well during matches, it’s going to be tough to stop me,” Wilkinson said.

At the same time, he still knows that he has plenty to improve in his game.

“The day that my game is perfect is the day I will quit,” Wilkinson said.

Wilkinson will look to better his already well-polished game at Cornell College in Iowa next season where he will be the team’s number three as a freshman.

What the college coaches saw in Wilkinson is something most of Missouri high school tennis has been amazed by the last four years of his impressive high school career in which he has tallied around 90 wins.

“Orion has been a very good high school player and I’m sure he will do continue to beast at the college level,” junior tennis player Simon Warchol said.  ”I really think that he will have an extremely good chance to win a state title this season.”

If Wilkinson is able to finally break through at state this season, there is no doubt that he will go down as one of the best tennis players in Clayton High history.

No player came up bigger than junior third baseman Cory Cannon in the nine hole.  Cannon went three-for-three in the game with three key RBI’s in the team’s 7-6 win over the district rival Westminster Wildcats.

“I owe it all to my Phiten necklace,” Cannon said.

Cannon’s  nickname on the team is El Caballo-Gato.  Indeed the team rode their big horse to a win.

Also coming up big for the team were junior pitchers Chase Linehan and Trevor Mills.  Linehan started the game and pitched for the first time in a month as he was finally healthy enough to take the mound.  Linehan went five innings, and gave up five runs but only one was earned.

Mills finished the last inning and a third for the Hounds as he worked out of a jam in the sixth and seventh for the save.  Mills also contributed two hits at the plate for the Hounds.

The team ran their record to 12-9 as they prepare to start the district playoffs on May 15 at noon at John Burroughs.  Before that though, the team plays at Windsor on May 11 before returning home for Senior Night on May 12 at 4 at Shaw Park against Berkeley.  The team will close out their regular season schedule on Thursday May 13 at Shaw Park against the St. Mary’s Dragons.