JUNE 2023 44 ARCADIANEWSARCHIVES.COM Race driver and engineer Matt McMurry was featured on both a 2012 and 2017 cover of Arcadia News. He was the youngest driver to compete in the Le Mans racing series at 16 years old. Most recently, he competed in the 2023 CrowdStrike Racing series. See page 34 in this issue to read about two additional Arcadia racers who have big dreams – just like Matt did. S witching jobs is not something people plan out in much detail. For the majority of job seekers, there is a personal connection to the job opening. The process is fairly straightforward and relatively painless. Most tend to assume that’s what job seeking is like, but this all changes when a job seeker is forced to proactively search without connections. Ask anyone who has landed a career entirely on their own, and they will very likely have a harrowing story to share. When job seekers search on their own time, the process can easily take two to six months. This length of time is normal. It is not a reflection of the person’s abilities or worth. It certainly doesn’t feel that way. The issue is that the search process is completely different than when you know someone. There are examples of difficult job searches shared every day. Recently, a job seeker applied to 600 jobs. These applications led to 30 interviews. The 30 interviews ultimately led to one job offer. This job seeker had many years of experience and multiple advanced degrees. The entire process took three months. A job search can often become elongated. The reason is that 570 rejections are emotionally exhausting. On top of this, friends and family judge the job seeker for how complex their search is. It leaves the job seeker feeling worthless and wondering if they’re even in the right career field. Dear job seeker, please remember: it’s not you. The application process is broken. You are competing against hundreds of online applicants. You are also competing with friends of the hiring manager. You are contending with less-than-ideal economic conditions. Remember, you are prepared for this. The key is not to lose hope. You are the same talented, hardworking professional that you were before you started this search. You will find your path. Set goals for yourself. Keep doing your best to meet the goals, even when difficult. In the example above, the job seeker applied to approximately 200 jobs per month, 50 per week, or 10 per business day. This process is a lot of work, but it will result in success. In addition to applications, write a list of all the great things about your background. You may have fifteen years of experience in project management. You are great at organizing teams. You have advanced knowledge of specific topics. Once you have your list compiled, keep it handy. Each morning, read the list. Remind yourself of who you are. You are valued. You are needed. You are the person you were before the economy started to turn. Outside factors changed, but you have not. You remain the same person you always have been. You are valued Career Corner Career Corner Career Career expert and founder of Copeland Coaching. copelandcoaching.com BY ANGELA COPELAND

45 JUNE 2023 By Rachael Bouley It was another action-packed spring on the tennis court, with local high schoolers giving it their best shot. Let’s recap the season and how Arcadia area tennis teams stacked against some fierce Valley competition. ARCADIA Titans varsity tennis had a busy season in Division II, Section 6, facing new competition with Peoria, Paradise Valley, Notre Dame, and AZ College Prep. The Titans finished 11-4 overall, placing second in the section at 6-1 behind undefeated McClintock and narrowly missing out on playoffs. As the boys set their sights on an even stronger season next year, the Lady Titans are reflecting on back-to-back runner-up titles in Division II. After an early loss to AZ College Prep, the girls picked up 14 straight wins with a 7-0 section run, giving them great momentum heading into the state championship. Ultimately, Catalina Foothills proved too tough to beat as the Lady Titans settled for second place. BROPHY Brophy went into the AIA State Championship strong as the No. 1 seed in Division 1 Premier but ultimately fell 5-1 to No. 3 seed Desert Mountain in the final. Although the team wanted to defend their state title after winning last year, the Broncos faced a tough fight. “Desert Mountain played really well,” Head Coach Eric Chalmers said. “They had good energy from the jump, they were making shots, and we were missing shots we usually make. Tennis is a game played on the margins. It is tough to win if you don’t make the shots.” Before the loss, Brophy won 35 straight matches spanning last season when they defeated Chaparral for the 2022 championship. “We are a young team with a bunch of sophomores,” Chalmers said. “We will be competing for years to come, and the team will remember this moment and not want to repeat it.” Brophy produced the Division 1 doubles champion for the third straight season, with senior Hadley Kukla and junior Andre Johnson taking the title. The Broncos finished 17-1 overall, have 10 AIA runner-up team finishes in school history, and have 21 state titles. VERITAS Both Veritas boys and girls varsity tennis teams qualified for state for the third consecutive year, overcoming challenges with practice time and court availability to keep up with the competition in Division 3, Section 5. “As a coach, I would say this was a rebuilding season. Last year we lost some key players, but we did what we always did and rallied around each other,” Head Coach Lisa Townsend said. The boys finished 9-3 and the girls finished 9-4, with both teams fighting hard to make it to state. Although they lost in the first round, they had a fun experience and learned a lot throughout the season. “Coach Peter and I were very proud and like to believe that we have made a name for Veritas Prep in Division 3 tennis,” Townsend said. “The highs for us were competing and sometimes winning when we were not supposed to.” Four Veritas teams represented an individual state, with senior Anna Schillinger losing in the girl’s singles quarterfinals to the No. 1 seed and eventual winner. Boys double duo Ian Townsend and Jack Victor finished runner-up to Phoenix Country Day School. “As with any season that involves so many different moving pieces and personalities, we all finished proud of ourselves and with stronger friendships than ever,” Townsend said. XAVIER Xavier was the team to beat in Division 1 Premier up until their 5-3 loss to Desert Vista in the championship. They only lost one other match all season and finished 5-0 in the section and 13-1 overall with a No. 2 division ranking. The Gators cruised through their first two state matches, beating Rincon/University 5-0 and Horizon 6-0 before finishing runner-up for the second year. Juniors Dani Dyer and Belani Soto placed second in the state doubles championship. With no graduating seniors this year, the unified Xavier team will look to come back even stronger next season. High school tennis seasons serve up magnificent memories Brophy Assistant Coach Chris Campbell, Andre Johnson, Hadley Kukla, Head Coach Eric Chalmers (and son), and Assistant Coach Ford Oliver. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE SHAFF Team spirit helped St. Theresa win big at the CYAA By Mark Hays St. Theresa Catholic School’s fifth-grade girls’ basketball team had an outstanding season in which athletic excellence was combined with teamwork and growth. The team advanced through the playoffs to the Catholic Youth Athletic Association (CYAA) championship, which they won in April. A solid record of six wins and three losses in the regular season set the team up to advance to the big game. “Our girls played nine games, not including the tournament,” said Athletic Director Noah Mayers. “The total amount of ‘fun’ they participated in throughout the year is 13 games.” The team consisted of basketball veterans and students new to the game. With the skillful leadership of Head Coach Kopp, he, Coach Hernandez, and Coach Posta fostered a strong team spirit in every player. “The way that they coached was very hands-on,” Mayers explained. “They were constantly practicing and wanting to see improvement in these girls. The coaches did a great job building them up and understanding that some girls had never played basketball.” At the championship game, St. Theresa squared up against the team from Saints Simon and Jude School. Their strategic skills were the main strength that led the team to victory. One play especially highlighted this and tipped the scales in St. Theresa’s favor. “The most memorable moment during the game was when they came out in a half-court press, and Coach Kopp called a timeout,” Mayers said. “The coach organized a way to beat the half-court press, and they used the whole game to win their defensive scheme.” The entire team expressed a sentiment that playing basketball at St. Theresa was an exciting team-building activity and that winning the championship was an exciting way to wrap up the season, improving their skills as athletes and individuals. “The girls said they all had the same feelings – they liked hanging out with their friends and winning the championship game together after all their hard work,” Mayers said. “Coach Kopp was very proud of how the girls improved throughout the year. The girls ended the season well, through hard work and dedication.” Two standout players were Reese Hernandez and Ainsley Kopp. “They plan on practicing and playing club ball in the summer to enhance their basketball skills,” Mayers said. “They have a lot of dedication to their craft, evident in their championship this year.” The team celebrated by taking many pictures and having a championship dinner at Sauce. Check out how Arcadia area middle schools did this season: Veritas Prep The Falcons middle school swim and dive team brought home the second-place trophy for the Great Hearts Middle School League. The girls’ team placed second, and the boys came up close with a finish in fourth. Abigail McKinzie won the 50-yard breaststroke, and Jack Schloz won the 50-yard freestyle and the 50-yard backstroke. Middle school tennis made it to the championship match in late April. The girls won first place in girls’ doubles and singles, with the boys’ team winning runner-up in doubles and singles. St. Thomas The seventh-grade baseball team at St. Thomas made it to the CYAA championship games in April but was defeated 3-13 by St. Francis Xavier. Ingleside The Ingleside Trojans boys’ and girls’ Championship Track Meet took place in late April at Coronado High. Based on three previous qualifying meets, only the top 16 SUSD athletes in each event were invited to compete. Ingleside dominated the sprints by taking first, thanks to Aubrey Folger (13.91) and second, thanks to Sydney Kelly (14.03) in the 100 meters. Aubrey also won the 200 meters (28.63). The Ingleside girls’ team also qualified two teams for the 4x100 meter relay, with Ingleside winning in a time of 56.72. Runner Braylon Wilkerson topped the field in the Boys’ 100 meters with a 12.34 finish. He also won the 200 meters in 25.88 and anchored Ingleside’s second-place 4x100 relay in a photo finish. Christ Lutheran School The CLS teams made it to the CYAA Championships in various sports: • Seventh-grade volleyball won third. • Eighth-grade flag football won third. • Eighth-grade boys’ basketball won third. • Eighth-grade softball won second place. • Boys’ baseball won second place. • Girls’ basketball won second place.