As the winter’s cold months approach us, our journalists have been working hard to get their first articles of the new school year published.
As the first few months of school are concentrated on refining punctuation and grammar, we intend on beefing up our future issues as the year goes on.
While December is the most wonderful time of the year, it is also the busiest time of the year. So, with that in mind, thank you for taking the time to enjoy our newest set of articles, and a warm welcome to any new viewers, as your support allows us to continue releasing new issues in the future months.
The lights shine in the dome, brighter than ever. The biggest game of my life: the state championship.
My teammates and I have worked so hard: summer practice, morning lifts, and all that have led to this moment.
Photo of Fargo dome before the Dakota bowl
I put on my helmet before the big game. That helmet feels and smells like six months of dedication, hard hits, and those perfect plays. It’s comforting knowing all I’ve done with this helmet makes it so this championship isn’t a surprise.
In the first quarter things looked grim for the Mustangs: Davies was ahead by one touchdown, but in the quarters to come the Mustangs were lights out. Sheyenne won 24-14 winning the second state championship in school history.
Mustangs go and receive there trophy and celebrate on the 50 yard line.
Winning the game was an powerful feeling because not everyone gets to this point. When we were awarded the trophy, the entire team grabbed what wed earned. The locker room celebration was one to none.
During the 2023-2024 school year, the Mustangs saw great success as state champs in basketball and volleyball. This season is going to come with many successes and maybe some losses all while working toward a state title.
With the changes that come in all sports, Sheyenne will need to figure out what works best for their teams. There are many predictions that can be made about these seasons but only time will tell.
Last year SHS volleyball lost two seniors: Isabelle Albrecht and Mia Engel. While the inevitability of seniors leaving can be hard, losing just two was not as drastic as years past. With three new freshmen on the varsity roster, they will need to work with them and other young players to get them used to the chaotic atmosphere.
Shanley lost to the Mustangs during the EDC and state championship last year. With a target on their back, Sheyenne took on Shanley this season and lost 3-1. Every team will give everything they have to take the title away, but the Mustangs will continue to grow and improve their chemistry and take everything they learn to the state championship court.
State Volleyball 2023, image courtesy of InForum
SHS varsity football lost 16 seniors last year yet brought in many new starting players. To accomplish their goals the Mustangs want their seniors to step up and be good leaders. They want teammates who can hold the underclassmen accountable and show them that they play hard from start to finish.
Football has had a very strong start to their season but have had losses against the west. The team needs to understand that they are going to have to work through challenges, but if they can do that then a state title is right in reach.
Last year, girls basketball lost two seniors, Brynn Bishop and Brenna Dick. The Mustangs base their offense and defense around the current players’ strengths. Brenna Dick was a key player to the Mustangs offence so finding someone that will take her place is going to be a big change. Sheyenne wants to have confident players out on the court giving it their all and the girls team is full of players ready to step up and take that role.
One team that might stand in the way of that state title this year is Horace. Last year, the mustangs lost twice to Horace, so if they manage to grab the win against them this year, it will mean a lot to the team. Mustangs are hoping to give everything they got to win them a state title this year.
State Basketball 2023 image courtesy of InForum
Boys basketball lost 6 seniors last year and star player Tommy Ahneman who was the majority of their starting lineup. With only one returning player, Sheyenne will have to make up an entirely new team. There are many ways they could go about their play style this year with a whole new team, it will be interesting and exciting to see how this season plays out.
Sullivan Ihry and other seniors will have to show underclassman what it takes to be on the Sheyenne Mustangs basketball team. If this team remains set on the idea of becoming state champs for the second year in a row and willing to work and put in as much effort to get to the point of winning, nothing can stand in their way.
Welcome back! The Mustang Post has survived another year of the long harsh winter known as Summer. Now a new spring is blooming in the Fall, new articles, new students, and even more editing for myself.
Throughout this year we hope to have a steady flow of articles releasing periodically, unlike last year. We also hope to have a bigger focus on the release of individual articles instead of the eMagazine focused format that we went with last year.
Besides the changes mentioned above, no other sweeping changes have been made. Two thirds of our editorial team has departed over the long winter, but with that comes new editors joining the team.
Abby Smith will be joining as an Assistant Editor focusing on podcasts and sports. Addison McCrosky will also be joining as an Assistant Editor with a more general focus.
Mental health is a key factor in performance and trust in sports. According toPhyisopedia Mental health in athletics is defined as “a state of successful performance or mental function that results in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with others, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity” (Wylleman et al 6).
Mental health is a valuable resource on the field. A positive state of mind enables for better decision making and overall performance. However, having a negative mental state might contribute to slow and sluggish play. Pressure’s negative influence begins with slight unhappiness and a minor decline in a person’s ability to perform. When they are under too much strain, they can feel stressed, anxious, and unhappy.
Mental responses such as worry, anxiety, loss of confidence, denial of injury, leading to irrational fear of re-injury, and a setback in performance can all have an impact on the rehabilitation process of an injury. The challenge of keeping it out of your mind. Remaining upbeat, taking advantage of the setback as a chance to grow, and remain loyal to your goals and self. Furthermore, the ability to shatter the stigma lets a great athlete be authentic and divert failure from their path.
Cultural and societal attitudes within sports often stigmatize mental health issues, hindering athletes from seeking help due to expectations of toughness and the perception of weakness associated with mental health struggles. Fear of judgment and career consequences can deter athletes from seeking mental health support, perpetuating silence and stigma in sports. Limited access to mental health resources further compounds the challenges athletes face in addressing their mental well-being, exacerbating the stigma and barriers to seeking help within the sports community.
In sports, fostering a mental health support system entail offering resources and counseling to enhance athletes’ well-being and performance. Each participant plays a critical role in this battle, including coaches, mental health education, and access to services. For instance, in an article written by Gabe Kapler he underscores the pivotal role of coaches, teammates, and support staff in addressing mental health issues in sports. Sharing that they should be a support system not a system where they are conditioned to appear bulletproof, and to suck it up (Paragraph 4).
Kapler also emphasizes the significance of mental health education and training within the sports community to destigmatize mental health issues and provide effective support systems for athletes (Paragraph 9). Additionally, he advocates for the crucial access to professional counseling and therapy services for athletes and individuals facing mental health challenges, emphasizing the need for sports organizations to prioritize mental well-being (Paragraph 10). Mental health presents a significant concern within the realm of elite athletes, where the relentless pursuit of excellence often intersects with unique challenges and pressures.
For example, an article titled Everyone Is Going Through Something by NBA player Kevin Love highlights the distinct challenges faced by elite athletes, including societal expectations of toughness and masculinity, which can discourage them from seeking assistance for mental health issues, perpetuating stigma within the sports community (Paragraph 2).
Love’s experience further underscores the delicate balance athletes must maintain between the demands of performance and the needs of their mental health. His panic attack during a game serves as a key reminder of the strain athletes encounter in navigating these competing priorities, emphasizing the crucial importance of prioritizing self-care and seeking support when facing mental health challenges (Paragraph 4).
Additionally, Love’s decision to seek therapy after his panic attack provides a notable example of successful management of mental health in sports, illustrating the significance of openness and professional help-seeking in addressing mental health concerns within the elite athlete community (Paragraph 11).
In conclusion, the significance of mental health in sports is undeniable. As athletes strive for excellence, they face unique challenges that can impact their mental well-being.
It is essential for athletic communities to prioritize mental health awareness and support, creating a culture where athletes feel empowered to prioritize self-care and seek help when needed. By promoting mental health education, reducing stigma, and ensuring access to resources, athletic communities can foster environments where athletes can thrive both in their sport and in their personal lives.
Sports betting involves placing monetary wagers on the outcomes of sporting events, ranging from mainstream to niche competitions. Its rising popularity has made it a significant aspect of both fan engagement and player involvement in the world of sports.
Fan betting involves placing bets on sports events for entertainment, including friendly wagers, fantasy sports leagues, and online betting, driven by motivations like enhancing excitement and testing sports knowledge, yet it poses risks such as financial losses and gambling-related harm.
Player betting refers to the involvement of athletes or sports professionals in placing bets on sporting events, potentially including those in which they are directly participating. Some players sports bet even though they are playing. For example, in article written by ESPN it highlights Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley who downloaded a gambling app, deposited $1,500, and bet on NBA and NFL games, including betting on his current team at the time the Falcons as a result he was called in front of NFL investigators to be questioned about the bets in November 2021 and ultimately suspended for the entire 2022 NFL season (DiRocco 3). And many people feel as a direct result of any decision like this a player lacks integrity and ethics for a game, they spend their entire life trying to make it too.
The legal status of sports betting varies across jurisdictions, with some countries permitting it under strict regulations, while others have banned or heavily restricted it. Regulatory measures typically include licensing requirements, age restrictions, and consumer protection measures, but their effectiveness can vary depending on enforcement and oversight mechanisms.
Gambling can have the same effect on you as being addicted to drugs or alcohol that can end up leader to many bad habits. For example, an article written by the Mayo Clinic shows these potential problems “Gambling can stimulate the brain’s reward system you may continually chase bets that lead to losses, use up savings and create debt. You may hide your behavior and even turn to theft or fraud to support your addiction” (Compulsive gambling 2). Sports betting can have profound psychological effects on both fans and players, leading to heightened excitement, addictive behaviors, financial stress, ethical dilemmas, and potential damage to reputation. For many people betting is seen as just another form of entertainment but there is the problem. For example, an article titled social influences normalize gambling-related harm among higher risk gamblers highlights this “Social influences are key drivers of gambling and can begin in youth through parental modeling and facilitation. Over time, social influence from friends and colleagues also becomes important” (Russel et al 1).
Sports betting generates substantial revenue globally, contributing to the economic significance of the industry, while its impact on the sports industry includes increased viewership, sponsorship opportunities, and investments in infrastructure and technology. Ethical considerations in sports betting prompt ongoing discussions on regulation and responsible gambling, while the future outlook involves balancing commercial interests with consumer protection and social responsibility amidst technological advancements.
In conclusion, Sports betting encompasses both fan and player involvement, with fans engaging for entertainment and players potentially facing ethical dilemmas. The legal landscape varies across jurisdictions, with regulatory measures aiming to mitigate risks, while the economic significance is underscored by substantial revenue and impacts on the sports industry.
EPISODE 3: The Professional Dream By Jackson Odden Hosted by Abby Smith
Official Transcript:
[THEME SONG – ORGAN.]
Abby Smith:
Hello everyone! This is the Mustang Post: The Home Turf, our new sports podcast, where we dive into not just the home turf of Sheyenne but the home turf of the love of all sports for fans and athletes who invest themselves and their lives in their passion. In this episode, Jackson Odden speaks with two Sheyenne baseball players about how they balance sports with education and their personal lives.
Here’s Jackson.
Jackson Odden:
Hello my Name is Jackson Odden I am a sophomore at Sheyenne High School and I will be interviewing two other sophomores.
Gavin Satrom:
I’m Gavin Satrom I’m a sophomore at Sheyenne high.
Ashton Loe:
My names Ashton Loe I’m a sophomore at Sheyenne High School.
Jackson Odden:
Every child has a dream. Sometimes those dreams are as simple as getting that new toy. However, there are those times where dreams become more complex, more life-impacting, bigger than big. Something like, “I want to be a pro athlete. A pro baseball player.” But what impact would attaining a dream like that have on that child’s life and the lives of his family and friends.
However, there’s a lot that goes into building that road to becoming a pro athlete. Namely, there those seemingly simple stages like preparing for a game. Gavin, a sophomore at Sheyenne High School plays on its C team and prepares for that moment he steps up to bat versus the pitcher.
Gavin Satrom: “Well, like if you scout the pitcher, you can like see how he throws, but um, I don’t really scout pitchers that much. So, I really just get there in the game and, like, see how fast he throws and try to time him up.”
Jackson Odden:
Ashton, also a sophomore at Sheyenne high school on the C team, is a bit more focused and determined.
Ashton Loe: “When I am in the dugout or the on-deck circle I try and time him up, look at how he’s throwing what pitches he’s throwing basically all the mechanics of it.”
Jackson Odden:
In order to accomplish the goal of playing professional baseball ball you need to know what goals to have for yourself and for the future. And more specifically the goals you have in life after you have gotten your high school diploma.
Gavin Satrom: “Well, I want go to college to play baseball, and then hopefully we get to the professional level, but like if not, then something probably something in like the accounting business.”
Jackson Odden:
Ashton may share the same goals as Gavin but has a different perspective of life after high school.
Ashton Loe: “First I want to continue my baseball career in college and then if that doesn’t work out somewhere in the medical field like athletic trainer or something like that.”
Jackson Odden:
Having a belief in yourself is a difficult thing to do when your goal is so high as to make it professionally. But it is a requirement in order to have confidence in yourself to accomplish it.
Gavin Satrom: “Well, I would like to say I am pretty good, but, like, you never know what’s going to happen. Its baseball it is up and down a lot of the time. You do good one time, really bad the other.”
Jackson Odden:
Ashton Shares being honest with yourself about your ability can be difficult but necessary in the path of life.
Ashton Loe: ” If I am being honest I don’t really know because a lot of the players around me are really good and watching videos everywhere I see players younger than me that are throwing really hard so I don’t know.”
Jackson Odden:
How does a baseball player maintain their focus amidst adversity, such as when they encounter struggles on the field? Can they find the inner perseverance, despite if they may be struggling in baseball?
Gavin Satrom: ” Well, like honestly you got to leave the last at bat or like batter when pitching behind you. And you just move on next batter, next at bat, all that.”
Jackson Odden:
How can seeking out different environments to practice in help a baseball player regain their focus and improve their performance during tough times?
Ashton Loe: “Whenever I’m struggling on usually I just try and practice that more like go to the Ballyard practice that and get better at it.”
Jackson Odden:
How has the discipline and teamwork learned from playing baseball translated into success? How have skills honed on the field, positively helped you in aspects of your life?
Gavin Satrom: “Baseball’s helped me by like keeping me in like so like for baseball, I have to focus on like on what ever I am doing, and then I can use that like in school too or for like what ever I am doing in my life.”
Jackson Odden:
How does playing giving a person a good mindset in baseball and a peace of mind?
Ashton Loe: ” I like playing baseball because it gives me something to do all the time I am always practicing it.”
Jackson Odden:
In the intricate dance between failure and success on the baseball diamond, how do you navigate the fine line, seeking growth amidst strikeouts and home runs? Can you share the strategies and mindset that help you maintain in your journey as a baseball player?
Gavin Satrom: “Well, Like balance the success is really just how hard I practice and all that, but then with like the failure I can just practice even more and harder to like get that success back.”
Jackson Odden:
Keeping to yourself and working on you can be a great way to challenge yourself.
Ashton Loe: “Well, usually I try to ignore how other people are playing, focus on myself, and make sure I am working hard.”
Jackson Odden:
As the crack of the bat echoes through the air, what specific milestones and improvements do you envision achieving in your upcoming baseball season, both individually and as a team, to make it a truly successful and memorable?
Gavin Satrom: “Well, really, it’s just to win the season and the tournament, so win as much as we can and play as best as we can.”
Jackson Odden:
Self challenges can make you a better leader and player than you think you are.
Ashton Loe: “I want to play really good hit a lot better than last year, and hopeful our team can win the tournament again.”
Jackson Odden:
What aspirations and objectives do you envision for your journey through college and beyond, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Gavin Satrom: ” Well, with college, I hope to still play baseball and keep up good grades, but then after college, I want to play professionally; if it doesn’t work, then something in the accounting business.”
Jackson Odden:
What would you do if everyone didn’t look at you what if baseball doesn’t work out?
Ashton Loe: “For college I want to continue my baseball career hopeful go D1 maybe make it to the majors otherwise probably stay in the medical field like I said before.”
Jackson Odden:
How do you navigate the challenge of resisting comparisons to peers of similar age who might be excelling in various aspects of life?
Gavin Satrom: “When I’m playing the game of baseball, I don’t really look around to see how people are doing; I just care about how I am doing myself and think if I can perform better or, I guess play better.”
Jackson Odden:
Comparing yourself to others can be a tricky thing how do you try to avoid it?
Ashton Loe: “Although I do see a lot of better players I just try and ignore them focus on myself get better get better than them.”
Jackson Odden:
“How do you manage the juggling of your academic studies while also dedicating significant time to practice and play baseball, and what strategies have you found most effective in maintaining a balance between these?”
Gavin Satrom: “Well, I mean If I can focus on the grades, then I can go out and just play baseball.”
Jackson Odden
One of the most beautiful parts of playing sports is you are a student athlete how do you balance being a student and an athlete?
Ashton Loe : “Usually I am pretty good at keeping my grades up keeping eligibility so I just focus on baseballs a ton during school.”
[THEME SONG – ORGAN.]
Abby Smith:
There you have it, with one athlete confident with his rise to the professional level and another riding the wave, who knows what the outcome will be.
This podcast was recorded by Jackson Odden and hosted by Abby Smith and our thanks goes out to Ashton Loe and Gavin Satrom for their time which helped make this podcast possible.
In our next episode of The Home Turf, Reise Berg and Aiden Johnson, take a look at the world of professional basketball.
EPISODE TWO: The Human Element in Baseball Dwindles By Ethan Laabs and Jonah Peterson Hosted by Abby Smith
The Mustang Post’s Ethan Laabs and Jonah Peterson take a critical look baseball’s mix of technology and humanity and where the fine line between the two begins and ends.
The Mustang Post 