Sitting with her parents as she signs her letter of intent, senior Megan VanValkenburg takes the first steps towards her collegiate swimming career. VanValkenburgs swims the 200 and 100 freestyle and the first leg of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. “Although I had already signed in December, all of the support from everyone on signing day made it feel very real now,” VanValkenburg said. “I feel like every little step I have taken in this process — from all the phone calls to my official trip and decision — has led to that moment. It felt good to be able to make it official, and I am so fortunate to have been able to do it with my family, teammates and friends by my side.”
2022 Senior Athlete Sendoff Map
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![Celebrating their landmark victory, the Parkway West Boys Hockey team gathers together on the ice. Over the course of the season, the team grew closer together while pursuing their final goal: winning the coveted Wickenheiser Cup. “[Winning the cup] was awesome. [As] a senior, it was super rewarding to end on a high note. It had to be the most memorable part of my career,” varsity hockey player and senior Hunter Beach said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DSC3974-Enhanced-NR-1200x799.jpg)
SportsHistory on ice -
SportsA legacy of leadership and excellence in sports -
![Holding the disc, senior Nathan Thompson waits for an opportunity to pass to senior Timmy Fry. Parkway United’s ultimate frisbee team is made up of students from each of the four Parkway schools. “The one thing I really like about ultimate [frisbee] is the community because it’s so different from any other sport I've been a part of. [My] national teammates are people who we play against in the regular season, so we see each other all the time. It's always fun hanging out with [them],” Thompson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/C96A6823-1200x800.jpg)
SportsUltimate spirit -
![Senior Josie Grunzinger watches the football game intently from the sidelines on Oct. 18. Grunzinger stood out to the crowd as the only girl on the football team, encouraging other girls who want to play football to take a chance and go for a sport outside of their comfort zone. “If you think you could [play football] and you want to do it, just try it, because all it takes is to actually try it out,” Grunzinger said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Untitled-design-1200x675.png)
SportsKicking off -
SportsGolden boots, golden dreams -
SportsKickoff to high school season -
![With her arms held high, junior Jenna Rickelman throws the ball across the pool during a girls water polo practice. With hours of practice after school and over the summer, Rickelman saw many improvements in her water polo skills. “When I look at [my] stats, I'm so much better than I was last year,” Rickelman said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Untitled-design-2-.png)
SportsBehind the net: Junior Jenna Rickelman’s journey on the girls water polo team -
![Putting on his helmet, catcher and senior Tommy Eschbach prepares to get in his primary stance. Despite losing 6-1 against Eureka on April 16, Eschbach didn’t let the tough loss affect his playing or mental health. “It's [so] easy to get caught up in the sport and what you're doing that [after] one bad game or a stretch of games it is hard to remind yourself that your worth as a person isn't directly related to your performance on the field,” Eschbach said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0415-1-1-1200x800.jpg)
SportsCapturing the game: Varsity baseball through photos -
![Sports organizations have changed lives on and off the field, improving athletes’ muscle strength, reducing their risk of diseases and building energetic work capacity worldwide. However, many student-athletes struggle to balance schoolwork and athletic commitments, hoping to seek more understanding and support from their teachers and coaches. “To lessen mental strain student-athletes [face] and create a healthier, more comfortable lifestyle, there shouldn’t be any homework. I'm already [at school] for eight hours and [homework] creates a bigger load for student-athletes in AP or honors classes,” track and field sprinter and sophomore Lucy Penton said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0095-1-e1713883278514-1200x847.jpg)
SportsHelp our student-athletes -
![At the Spring Pep Rally on March 8, boys varsity water poloist and junior Jack Brau stands with the boys water polo team. The group, hoping to include everyone — whether boy or girl, varsity or JV — cheered on the girls water polo team during the sports team runouts. “Even though we all play separate games and have different practices, we like to see ourselves as one big group who represent one water polo [team],” Brau said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_8810-1-1200x800.jpg)
SportsOur team, our sports
About the Contributors
Drew Boone, Staff Writer
Pronouns: He/Him
I am a senior and this will be my fourth year on staff. I look forward to newspaper everyday because it allows me to work at my own pace while developing my journalism skills. While I can sometimes lack focus, the results of my work always end up meeting my standards. I spend most of my time outside of school going out with friends and discovering new things. The first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning is why did I set my alarm this early?
Tre Bell, Staff Writer
Pronouns: he/him
I am a senior, and this will be my fourth year on staff. At first, I wanted to do yearbook because it seemed like that’s what everyone was doing, so I wanted to be with them. Klevens, however, told me she thought I would be a great writer and I took her word for it. Now, I am really glad I did. I think my friends love that I am always in a positive mood, that I always try to light up a room and that I am always there to be an ear for them when things aren’t going their way. I love hanging out with my friends. I also spend all of my time playing sports. I play football, basketball and run track, so I am always working out. I like actually listening to the lyrics of songs to understand what is being said; sometimes it’s very relatable. I hope I have a very fun and eventful senior year.
Alli VanValkenburg, Yearbook Editor-in-Chief
Pronouns: she/her
Grade: 12
Years on staff: 4
What is your favorite piece of literature? “The Great Gatsby”
Who is your hero? My sisters :)
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Toasted Ravioli.