#phu profile

[welcometophu]

My Life talks to Kenzie Davis!

(Article originally published in 2006)

We had the opportunity to talk to Kenzie Davis, a favorite to win Gold at the Junior Nationals for gymnastics this year. We were thrilled that she was willing to take time out of her busy schedule to talk to My Life today, and give us all the intimate details of her life that we can pass along to you!

Kenzie, welcome to the My Life office! Thank you for stopping by.

It’s my pleasure! I’ve never been interviewed before. Coach says that there are girls all over the country looking up to us, because we’re the face of modern gymnastics. I love knowing that there are people out there that are inspired by what we do!

Is that what you think?

I think I’m going to win this week. I’m going to take Gold on the floor, for sure.

What about the all-around?

I think I can do it! Coach says I just have to stick the landing on my dismount for bars, and it’ll be mine. Bars is my toughest event, but I’ve been practicing really hard. My handstands are perfect, and I’ve been working a lot of hours on my release skills. I’ve increased the difficulty of my routine, and I can nail every move, now.

Excellent! We’re all excited to see you compete. What are you most excited for?

Seeing my mom and dad and my brother. Josh is only six years old, and he’s so little. Sometimes he forgets who I am because I spend so much time at the gym. I mean, not really, except mostly really. I live with Ellie and her family when I’m training, so I only get to go home on breaks. They come to visit me a lot. It’s like being at boarding school, only for gymnastics.

Your entire team is really good friends, right?

We’re awesome friends! I’ve known Ellie and Dar since forever. And Payson is new, but she’s pretty cool, even though she’s younger. I think she’s going to be really good, once she gets a little more strength. Amilee is going to be moving up soon, I think. She’s fifteen already, so she’s getting old. She’ll go to the senior division.

What about you? What’s next after Junior Nationals?

The Olympics! I’m going to go to Beijing. We’re all going to Beijing, and we are going to kick—oh, I can’t say that, can I? Mom would kill me anyway. She thinks I don’t swear. She probably knows I do, because doesn’t everyone? But she likes to think I’m sweet and still just a baby, even though I’m not.

I don’t think we’re going to get involved in that discussion. So tell us, what do you like to do for fun?

Movies! We love going to the movies, and I’ve got a lot of books I like to read. I like reading about places all over the world, because I’ll visit them all someday. I also like to write letters. I have a friend—Amy—who used to do gymnastics but she stopped after she hurt her back. And my best friend back home and I write to each other all the time. Real letters with a pen and stamps.

Rumor has it that you have a secret superpower.

Other than my height on my tumbling run on the floor? Oh, oh, I know what you mean. I have a junior black belt. I got it when I was ten, but I stopped then because you can’t do that and train with an elite gym at the same time. But I still remember a lot of things, and I’m flexible, of course, and really strong. I could probably still kick you-know-what literally as well as in competition for gymnastics. But I don’t like getting kicked. It hurts! Gymnastics is what I really love.

If you had to say one thing to everyone reading about you, what would it be?

Um. Do what you love, and love what you do! I love gymnastics so much and it’s everything I ever wanted. And I wouldn’t be doing it and giving up time with my family if it weren’t my favorite thing ever. But don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough, or that something’s too girlie, or not girlie enough. Don’t let anyone tell you that something’s just for girls or for boys. Don’t be scared, or even if you are scared, try it anyway. Because it’s not just about what’s easy, it’s about what you can do with hard work.

And really, it’s about loving yourself. And I love you, too! I’m blowing you kisses even if you can’t see me—you’ll put that in the interview, right?

I’ll put that in the interview, I promise. Good luck in the competition, Kenzie.

Thank you! Come see me when I get my Gold!

[All fan mail sent to Kenzie Davis via the My Life mailbox will be forwarded to her coaches and parents. My Life always welcomes your comments and communications.]

[welcometophu]

#14 ● Christopher Stone

Class Year: 2018 Hometown: Portal, MA Position: Quarterback Major: Psychology/Art History Height/Weight: 6’ / 205 lbs Talent: Human

Statistics & Information:

In the 2015 season, Chris Stone started in 75% of the games, including all games after then-senior Lee Bennet was knocked out of play by a season-ending broken collarbone. He is slated to be the primary starter for the 2016 season.

Stone has strength in both rushing and passing, and plays to his strengths on the field. During his sophomore year, he completed 61.2% of his passes, for a total of 2,356 yards and 17 TDs. However, Stone struggled with accuracy and gave up 13 interceptions throughout the season. His rushing yards are impressive at 1,300 yards and another 10 TDs.

For the 2016 season, Chris Stone is the offensive captain of the PHU team. He is expected to rely on his running game, balanced by the inclusion of Alaric Herne as a new freshman QB with a strong passing game.

Personal Information:

Chris Stone comes to PHU from the Stephen S. Cooper High School in western Massachusetts, where he played varsity for all four years of high school, and was the starting quarterback for his sophomore, junior, and senior years. His father, Dr. Edwin Stone, coached Pop Warner where Chris got his start along with all six of his brothers. Every single Stone brother played football, although Chris was the only quarterback. As the smallest and the fastest of the Stone family, he grew up learning to rush against his taller, and bigger, brothers.

He is the fifth Stone to gain a D1 football scholarship, following his siblings who have scattered to Boston College, Buffalo, Wake Forest, and UCLA. However, Chris is the only Stone sibling to play in the Blended league. When he graduates from PHU in 2018, Chris intends to go to medical school.

In His Own Words:

I don’t know where I’d be if I wasn’t playing football. I started when I was barely able to walk, tossing a Nerf ball with my dad and my brothers. I’ve played almost every sport—lacrosse is big in my home town, and our coach expected us to run indoor track or play basketball during the winter. I weathered overlaps in my sports, and nights when I had enough hours of practice or weight room that I was doing homework until midnight. Or later. But it was worth it. I really enjoy being out there, putting myself up against the other team and knowing I’ve got my team at my back.

And we’re a good team. PHU brings the best players to the field, real team players who work hard together. We all want to win, but we want to play a damn good game, too.

I know some people expect me to try to go pro, and I don’t know what to say to that. Would it be cool? Yeah. But I also want to go on to grad school, get my degree in Clinical Psychology and look into art and music therapy. There’s a piece of my head that says maybe I can do both, but I don’t know if I’d get the same respect after I retire from pro sports, and I don’t know if I could still get into pro sports after taking time off for grad school. It’s a catch 22. Thankfully I’ve still got two years to figure things out.

I think we’ve got a good year ahead of us. The veterans on the team are solid, and the incoming freshmen include some incredible players. We’re solid on all fronts, and we’re going to play well together. I’m really looking forward to seeing if we can take it all the way to the championship.

[welcometophu]

My Life talks to Harrison Everett!

We had the opportunity to talk to Harrison Everett, the youngest member of Phoenix Rising. It’s well known that Harrison, or Rory to his friends, is the quietest member of the band, often eclipsed by his older brother. We were thrilled that he was willing to take time out of his busy schedule to talk to My Life today, and give us all the intimate details of his life that we can pass along to you!

So tell us, why are you called Rory?

Huh, well, you can blame Thorne for that. When I was born, my mom wanted to name me for her godfather, but she decided to make my name Harrison, which is a little different. But Thorne couldn’t pronounce it. So Dad suggested that Thorne could call me Harry, and Mom objected because that’s exactly what she didn’t name me. And Thorne started saying something but Dad couldn’t figure it out, then Dad realized it was Rory… except Thorne couldn’t say an R. So Thorne called me Dodo. And Thorne decided that since he named me, everyone else had to use it too, and it kind of stuck. I’m just glad that they all called me Rory and not Dodo. Besides, Harrison’s a mouthful and makes me sound stuck up.

And you’re not at all stuck up.

Not really, no. Give me a decent guitar, and a quiet place to make music, and my family and band, and I’m good. I don’t care about clothing labels or anything. If you want someone who likes that kind of thing, go talk to Stormy. She has a thing about expensive shoes. And watches. I really don’t understand the watch thing.

We’ll try to catch up with Stormy later on. Today’s all about you.

Yeah. I noticed that. Did you have questions for me?

What’s your idea of the perfect date?

I’m not supposed to quote a movie here, am I?

I’m not real big on going out. I like movies, I like dinner, obviously. But if you’re talking about a date, grand gestures and over the top romance make me cringe. I just want to be with someone and be comfortable. If we’re on the couch watching Netflix, that’s okay with me.

Do you get noticed when you go out?

Not really, and that’s okay with me. Everyone notices Thorne—he’s all red hair and effervescence. I kind of blend in, if you ignore the part where I’m 6’5”.

So tell us about your prom.

You’ve been talking to Thorne.

Maybe.

Thorne said I had to have all the typical high school experiences before I graduated, and he insisted that I should go to prom. So I took Stormy.

You weren’t dating anyone in your school?

No, I wasn’t. So Stormy and I went with a bunch of us from the drama and music department. There were only a couple of couples in the group—most of us were just going as friends. The funny part was when Stormy met this guy who was my friend Jessica’s cousin and date. He and Stormy hit it off. They ended up dating for a little while. He actually came with us on tour to help us out with the equipment. He’s a great guitar tech.

You play guitar in Phoenix Rising, right?

I play guitar, yes, and sometimes I do some keyboards or sometimes Thorne does. He doesn’t like to stand still, though, and he’s hell on the keys when he’s bouncing around. Rhythm guitar is a good thing for him to do. If it drops out because he’s distracted, the bass can take up the line.

How many instruments do you play?

How long do you have for me to figure this out? I mean, I played saxophone in fourth grade, and I tried Jessica’s flute, and that wasn’t horrible, and clarinet’s just the same concept. I can handle drums if I have to and don’t do anything fancy, definitely enough for figuring out the rhythm line of a song. I’ve been playing piano since I was four and Thorne started lessons. Wait, that wasn’t what I meant—clarinet’s the same concept as sax. Not flute, which is the only woodwind in a standard orchestra or concert band that doesn’t actually have a reed. Well, piccolo, but a piccolo isn’t exactly a standard instrument either.

Um. Anyway, Mom says I used to sit on Dad’s lap and pick out tunes on his guitar before I could even walk. Music’s in our blood. Well, not literally. But we were raised on the road during the summers, and we both just learned to pick things up.

Is it true that you and Thorne were on stage for the first time when you were two?

I had just turned two, yeah. I don’t remember it, but there are pictures of us getting up on stage with Dad’s band. Mom was kind of horrified.

I hear you’re going to college in the fall.

Uh, yeah, but I’d honestly rather not say where. Thorne did his freshman year there, then he took a year off to tour with another band before he came back to us for this summer tour. We’re leaving the tour early so we can get there in time for my orientation move in day.

What are you going to major in?

Music.

No other plans?

I have other ideas, but nothing that would be a big surprise. It’s no secret that Thorne and I are Mages—he does all of our fire effects on stage. So I want to keep working with that as well. It’s a big part of being a lineage Talent.

Is music part of your Talent?

I don’t think so. I’m just a typical Mage. Music’s something special to me, and I’m glad I have it. If I couldn’t write songs I’d probably go insane.

Who writes more of the songs for Phoenix Rising, you or Thorne?

I’d say me, he’d say him. It’s probably pretty evenly split.

Can you tell me one song you wrote?

“Summertime”. We’ve been playing it on tour as our opening number.

What’s it about?

It’s about the way things are fleeting sometimes, like summer days disappearing into fall. Thorne says I write the deep songs, and he writes the fun things.

Is that true?

Sometimes.

Rory’s fingers are tapping on the table in front of him, and his foot is tapping. We can see that he’s getting the urge to get up and move. He’s tall, but he’s folded almost in half in this chair like he can’t take up too much space in the small tent we’ve been given for interviews. There’s a light sheen of sweat, and when I offer him a water bottle, he drains most of it.

If you had to say one thing to the kids reading this, what would it be?

Don’t forget who you are. I mean, don’t forget your family—that might be your friends, your relatives—whoever you need most. It’s okay to need people, and it’s okay to dream. Let that carry you through. Because everything’s fleeting, even the bad things, and you’ll come out okay on the other side.

He stands as soon as he’s done talking, offers us his hand. His gaze skitters off to one side, and we can’t help but wonder if he’s already writing a new song. If we’re lucky, Phoenix Rising will find the time to record even with busy university schedules. We certainly hope to be seeing more of Harrison Everett in the future!

[All fan mail sent to Harrison Everett via the My Life mailbox will be forwarded to his agents. My Life always welcomes your comments and communications.]

** [A note from Tris: Rory is based on a previous version of the character created by eternaleponine, and I am thankful to have been allowed to borrow the character to live in my own brain, because Thorne needs his brother.]

[welcometophu]

#32 ● Alaric Herne

Class Year: Freshman Hometown: Haverhill, NY Position: Quarterback Major: Undecided Height/Weight: 6’2” / 220lbs Talent: Clan

Statistics & Information:

Alaric Herne comes to Pine Hills University from a nationally based home school syndicate for Talented high school age athletes, where he honed his skills as one of the top football players in the northeast. The NY Tigers drew a Blended team from across the state and made it to the Northeast finals for all four years of Herne’s high school play. He led the team, with co-captain Cal Thompson, to the national championship, claiming the win for the Tigers in his senior year.

During the 2015 season, Herne ranked in the top ten Talented high school football players in the nation. PHU looks forward to seeing how he performs at the collegiate level.

Personal Information:

Alaric Herne is the youngest of three children; his twin, Andrea, attends PHU as well, majoring in Biochemistry. Herne is local, and returns home often to visit his family. Clan is always close, and PHU recognizes and supports lineage Talent families.

In His Own Words:

Football is the thing that’s kept me going through the last few years. I started playing with my Clan friends when I was a kid, and I loved it. I thought I was good, but I couldn’t play at the school I went to because they didn’t want Clan playing. When I tried out for the Tigers, I found out how different it was to play for a real team, with guys from all over the state. But I’m fast, and I’ve got a good eye, and that’s not Clan. That’s just me.

My sister is the best support I’ve got. She went to every game for the Tigers, and I’m glad she’ll be at PHU with me. It makes it better going out on the field knowing that she’s there, too.

Goals? I’ll go back to the community eventually, but I hope there are professional teams willing to take a risk with a Talented player when I’m graduating. I’d love to get to play for a long time.