MAY 2023 52 ARCADIANEWSARCHIVES.COM Jennifer Bruns, wife of Arcadia News publisher Greg Bruns, was pregnant with their first son in 2005. Carter was joined a few years later by brother Noah. Seventeen year old Carter recently received his Eagle Scout and is going into his senior year at Brophy College Prep. Noah will be heading to his freshman year at Arcadia High when school starts in September. A sking illegal questions to candidates during job interviews is so normal that we almost forget where the boundaries exist. In the U.S., employers are not allowed to ask questions around marital status, pregnancy, age, nationality and much more – and yet, they do. Sometimes, companies ask these questions overtly, other times, the questions come indirectly. Over the years, I have been asked many of these questions in interviews. Each time, I feel disappointment. It is disappointing that my accomplishments and skills don’t seem to be enough, and that employers feel so comfortable crossing legal and ethical boundaries. Once, in a single interview, a C-level executive of a well-known restaurant chain asked me, “Are you married? Do you have children? Do you have plans to have any children soon?” In other interviews, I’ve been asked if I have a significant other. I’ve been asked how I feel about being older than the people I’ll be working with. I was asked if I had taken maternity leave while at a previous job. Multiple interviewers wanted to know if I’m able to fly. They wanted to know if I can be away from home, and if it’s okay to be away for long periods of time. At first, I felt confused. Typically, I’m asked if I’m open to travel and we move on. It dawned on me that in this case, the employer may have been trying to discern if I have children that would need to be taken care of. All of these questions came during job interviews. They were asked by professional, highly educated individuals. I’m certain these folks were aware of what they should and should not ask. When I share these stories with friends, their reaction is always the same. “These questions are illegal. How can anyone ask these questions?” The problem is that companies risk very little by asking candidates such questions. As a job seeker, you would first need to prove that these questions were asked. I don’t know about you, but I have never been one to record my job interviews. Second, you would need to prove that your response to the questions were the reason you weren’t hired. As a job seeker, your primary goal is to land a job. This is why few candidates pursue these issues, and it’s the reason that companies are able to continue on with these unfortunate questions. If this happens to you, what can you do? The most important thing is to think about how you feel. Is this the kind of company that you’d like to work for? Use the information you learn to help you to decide if this company aligns to your values. Keep your questions to yourself Career Corner Career Corner Career Career expert and founder of Copeland Coaching. copelandcoaching.com BY ANGELA COPELAND

53 MAY 2023 By Justin McCoy A new sport has been welcomed to the field at Xavier Prep this spring: flag football. This season is being played as a club sport, but this fall, it will be an official Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA)-sanctioned high school sport. The AIA greenlit girls flag football in December, expecting 30 to 40 schools to participate in the first season, which will play its state championship game the same weekend as the 2A & 3A boys. Xavier played 12 games in their first season, beginning with the inaugural match in early March. The season will culminate with the playoffs in May. Michael Patterson, a USA Football Master Trainer who’s been coaching for over 17 years, was brought in by the school to coach the team after working for Brophy Prep. He said that none of the girls had any prior experience playing the sport and that he was very impressed with their progress in such a short amount of time. He also stated that the interest in the sport had been immense, with 90 students trying out for the team. After cuts, the final squad landed with 25 girls on its roster. “All grades are represented, from freshman to senior, on the varsity team,” Patterson said. He also hopes the school will have a junior varsity team in the coming years. “It’s a very robust schedule for them, but they are fully committed,” the coach added. Xavier began an intense practice schedule last fall, happening twice a week with two games played per week. Patterson anticipated the AIA sanctioning that came in December. The team played their first practice game against Arizona College Prep at the Cardinal’s Stadium in Glendale. Team Captain and senior Jenna Burch enthusiastically waxed poetic about the experience, saying, “I can honestly say this football season has been my favorite and most unexpected experience in all of high school!” In March, Xavier’s first season win came on their home field, playing against the Agua Fria Owls. The final score was 31-20. Burch said that everyone was excited at their first game, being the first girls in history to play flag football for Xavier. She recalled one of the memorable moments from the game was when they scored their very first touchdown. “It was such an indescribable and rewarding feeling to be making history and hitting that first milestone with such an amazing group of girls and coaches,” she said. In addition to Agua Fria, Xavier has played AZ College Prep, Queen Creek, Millennium, Casteel, Perry, and Mountain Pointe. Patterson and his team are excited about the May playoffs, and he believes the girls will shine in those games. “The improvement we’ve had with the team has been outstanding. We’re going to be a hard team to beat in the playoffs,” Patterson said. Flag football added to Gators’ sport roster Xavier’s inaugural flag football squad will finish their season this month. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA ZUBA By Rachael Bouley Xavier’s swim and dive team worked hard in and out of the pool this year, with seven student-athletes recently announced as Academic All-Americans, thanks to The National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA). Swimmers Perla Akiki, Waverly Bagley, Maryn Day, Lainey Weiland, and Cassie Worth earned this honor, along with divers Claira Chong and Michelle Mierzwa. NISCA recognizes senior student-athletes with a minimum 3.75 GPA each year. To qualify, they must have their coach’s recommendation and be in high standing on the team. According to NISCA, only 10-15 percent of senior swimmers, divers, and water polo players receive this honor each year, putting the girls in good company. “It’s a great honor to be selected as an Academic-All American,” Assistant Swimming Coach David Smithers said. “The overall team was awarded a very high academic honor as well, based on cumulative GPA of all varsity swimmers and divers.” Last year the team had a GPA of 3.713 at the Team Scholar Silver level, and this year, their 3.751 GPA gave them gold, a testament to Xavier’s commitment both in the classroom and the pool. After their impressive efforts, the Gators are looking to the future. All-American diver Claira Chong was pleased with the recognition, a fitting send-off as she heads to Dartmouth College to study sociology. “It felt great to receive All-American honors, especially after being on the team for four years,” Claira said. Swimmer Lainey Weiland shares the sentiment and feels very proud after hearing news of the award. “It was like all the hard work I had put in for the past four years, and even before that, in school and swim paid off,” Lainey said. “I don’t need recognition for what I’ve done, but it’s nice to be reminded of how hard I have worked.” The 50 and 100 freestyle swimmer will take fond memories of high school swim meets into her next chapter at ASU Barrett in the fall. “I’m grateful for all the opportunities I had to work on myself through swimming and my academic pursuits,” Lainey added. Fellow freestyle and breaststroke swimmer Perla Akiki was excited about her award after five years of competitive swimming. “I felt joy and dedication, not only to me but also to my coaches, family, and teammates who supported me along the way,” Perla said. “I hope to continue club swim after graduation while attending the University of San Diego.” Maryn Day says out of her seven years in the pool, her time with Xavier has been her favorite. “I’ve loved being on relay teams and swimming at our invitational meets in the 100 butterfly, 100 backstrokes, and 200 individual medleys,” Maryn said. She was excited to receive All-American honors and looks forward to attending Johns Hopkins University, where she plans to major in psychology and public health. “It is a prestigious award, and I’m so honored to be selected,” Maryn added. “I also think it’s amazing how many of my fellow XCP seniors received this award, and it truly speaks to the caliber of our team.” All-American honors cap off this school’s swim season Xavier received Team Scholar Gold honors from the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA ZUBA