Hi, my name is Abigail Zapata and I am a sports writer for the Redwood Gigantea. I love journalism because of the creativity aspect. When it comes to telling stories, I can be as creative as I want with how I tell them. On top of that, it really reminds me of the diversity of the students at Redwood. I have gotten to meet so many new people with so many unique backgrounds, and all with their own special personalities.
Beyond The End Zone: The Sanchez Playbook
This story highlights Luke Sanchez, Redwood High School’s star quarterback, whose leadership, hard work, and dedication both on and off the field, combined with his exceptional football IQ and resilience, drive his team towards championship goals while serving as an inspiration to his teammates.
This is definitely my favorite story I have written for the Gigantea. Something I can take away from it is that writing a quality story takes some time. To just get the interviews alone took me a couple weeks, and finally being able to put it in pending review took me a little over a week.
Lights, Camera, Action: Redwood’s Ranger TV Students Shine on and Off Screen
From editing footage to chasing stories, the students behind Ranger TV share what it’s like to produce weekly content for Redwood — and how the experience is shaping their skills, goals, and growth as storytellers.
This is one of my favorite stories I have ever written for the Gigantea. Something I learned from writing this piece is how to put videos in my articles, and for really lengthy stories like this one, its always easier when you go in with a plan. I had my story mapped out exactly how I wanted it to be, and I really think that helped me stay organized.
From Summer Sweat to Winter Victory: The Unseen Hours
Redwood High School’s wrestling program led by Coach David Watts demands significant dedication from both coaches and athletes.
Something I can take away from this story is interviewing coaches is not as scary as it seems. I had to interview Coach Watts and I was a bit intimidated at first because of what I had heard about him. But when I got to meet him, he seemed like a very nice man and there was really nothing to be scared of.
Soccer Pre-season Opener: Rain Before The Storm
Redwood High School’s Varsity Soccer Coach shares his thoughts and predictions for the upcoming 25-26 season.
Something that I can take away from this story is good problem solving skills and not giving up when I have setbacks. I was planning on interviewing the coach during his practice since I couldn't interview him during school hours due to him being an off campus coach. I later found out that they practice in the morning. The next day was a holiday but it was the only day I could interview him, so I attended their media day and got the interview.
“Rangers For Christ”: Josie Motos’s Aims to Unite Redwood Students in Faith
Josie Motos is launching “Rangers For Christ” at Redwood High School to foster faith and spread Jesus’ love. Members Justin Marquez, Lily Zapata, and Isabella Ibarra are excited to grow the club, deepen their faith, and share the gospel.
This is my first story I have ever written. Something I can take away from it is to not be so afraid to ask people for interviews because it isn't the end of the world if they say no.
Redwood Boys Soccer: Driven to Dominate and Strike Intensity This Season
It’s the 2025-26 soccer season, and Redwood High School’s boys varsity seniors, talk about the predictions and thoughts about the upcoming season.
Something I was able to take away from this story is the importance of getting creative with interviewing. I had to interview 2 varsity soccer players who did not have 6th periods. I had to work around my schedule to make sure that I could get their interview.
The Sweet Taste of Victory: Redwood High School Varsity Soccer Boys Conquer The 2025 Sunkist Lindsay Showcase
Redwood High School’s varsity soccer team clinched the 2025 Sunkist Lindsay Showcase victory through focused practices, overcoming challenges, and key player performances, ultimately avenging a previous loss against the Lindsay Cardinals and boosting their confidence.
In this story, I learned that sometimes less is more. I kept wanting to interview so many people but I realized the people I already had in my story gave me good quotes and was just gonna make my story sound boring and make my readers disengaged if I tried making it longer.
From Drills to Thrills: Redwood Varsity Swim Team Gears Up To Dominate in The Pool
Coach Sophie Terry expresses her perspective on what she believes the 2026 Varsity Swim season will look like.
I got very good responses out of this interview, however I felt as if I asked too many redundant questions. Sometimes less is more, and I should have focused on asking quality questions instead of a bunch of questions.
Frozen Focus: How Winter Athletes Spend Their Break
With the holiday season winding down to a close, Redwood High School Athletes share the experience of celebrating with friends and family while still grinding in their sports every day.
Something I learned with this story is to not get lazy. This story should not have taken me 3 weeks, but it did. On top of that, I would make up my questions when I was right at my athletes door, or I would kind of improv on the spot, which made my questions kind of suck.
My goal for next semester is to be able to publish more stories for the Gigantea. This year I have created 5 but which isn't bad but it can definitely be better. I also want to be able to get more people involved in my stories. Most of them have students that everyone on campus knows; but as a sports writer, I want to get that athlete that nobody talks about but people should. I am feeling very confident about going into 2026 and I have a good feeling that I will publish good stories.
Abigail Zapata
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