Hayden Pope



Projects by Hayden Pope

Injury, Perspective, and Gratitude: IU Athletes Reflect on Their Seasons

By Raeghan Miller, Jenna Nolot, and Hayden Pope

BLOOMINGTON, IN. (April 3, 2025)

For most athletes, a college career ends with the final whistle of a season-ending game. For Indiana University basketball player Jackson Creel, however, that ending came earlier than expected. A tough injury forced him to step away from the game, which not only altered his season, but also his perspective on basketball and life. 

Jackson suffered a foot injury while returning from Christmas break. Initially, the setback had a negative impact on the rest of his season. He was faced with a tough reality that he didn’t expect. He underwent surgery about a week and a half later, holding onto hopes that the healing process would speed up in time for him to return to the court. However, as time passed and the season came to an end, he realized he wasn’t going to get the ending he had imagined.

Jackson Creel, a senior guard at IU, spent his final season recovering from injury. His smile shows the strength and gratitude he carries as he moves forward after basketball.

“It took me a lot of time to readjust,” Jackson said. “It was sad that I had to end my college career without being on the court. The season came to an end, and I still wasn’t able to return. But I’m grateful for the experience.” 

When Jackson was first injured, he didn’t think there was much he could do for his team. But over time, his perspective shifted. He realized he could still contribute in meaningful ways without stepping foot onto the court. 

“I could bring a lot of energy to practice and drills, be a cheerleader for my teammates, just giving them confidence and enthusiasm,” Jackson said. Even though this didn’t affect his performance, he was able to help his teammates. 

This shift in mindset allowed Jackson to be thankful for his season, even though it looked nothing like what he had expected. He appreciated that he had the opportunity to positively impact his team. 

Meanwhile, Jordan Rayford, a point guard for Indiana University, was suffering from his own struggles after tearing a ligament in his foot. This injury placed him on the sideline for nine months. During this time, he realized how much he missed playing with his team. He admitted that when you’re healthy, it’s easy to take some moments for granted. 

“I became more grateful for things I used to look past, like waking up early for practice,” Jordan said. “It changed how I viewed performance as well. Before I thought about it in terms of how many shots I was making, dunks, and layups. Now, I see it as more than that. It’s how I maintain my health off the court. Getting into the ice tank after practice, working with the trainer, those things became more important to me. 

Jordan Rayford, a guard at Indiana University, missed the season due to injury. His quiet moment on the court reflects a year of growth, focus, and resilience.

Jordan spent nine months watching his teammates put in the work, giving him a new perspective as a player. Instead of focusing on what he couldn’t do, he used this time to his advantage, watching and improving his skills for his future on the court. “You actually get to watch practice and see where people are making mistakes,” he said. “When you come back, you can fill those voids.”

The shift in mindset helped both players find meaning in their time away from the court. They realized that being a part of the team was an opportunity that shouldn’t be taken for granted, and they needed to appreciate the sport and the brotherhood that came with it. 

For other athletes dealing with potentially career-ending injuries, they both offered a piece of advice. Jackson said, “It’s not ideal, but be grateful that you had this opportunity. Bring thankfulness, joy, encouragement, and appreciate that you can impact their performance and help them as much as you can.” Jordan highlighted that his perspective changed after his injury, and it made him the player he is today. He wants others to know that they need to find the positives of being injured. 

Though Jackson and Jordan’s college careers went in a direction they never expected, they both have a deeper appreciation for their health, the game, and the impact they can have beyond playing on the court. As Jackson moves on from Indiana University, he takes with him the lessons of gratitude, while Jordan prepares for another shot at the game he loves. Both players have grown through their struggles, proving that resilience, perspective, and gratitude can turn setbacks into opportunities.

 

https://youtu.be/JS9-2QHR3sE

IU men’s basketball players Jordan Rayford and Jackson Creel open up about their experiences with injury, recovery, and the mental toll of being sidelined. Their stories reveal how performance extends beyond the court and into the personal challenges athletes face off the hardwood.

 

Apple Watch Launch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Apple Watch Launch

Media Contacts
Dian Zhong
Ava Lavigna
Hayden Pope

Cupertino, California, U.S.A.(September 9, 2014)-Apple officially unveiled the Apple Watch, a smart device worn on the wrist, at a launch event at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California, U.S.A. on September 9, 2014. This is a brand new product that combines technology and fashion with a sense of interaction and experience between the product and the user, and this has made a huge breakthrough in product innovation, especially for Apple as a company. 

At the conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook presented that the Apple Watch will be a highly personalized product of Apple, which can track the user’s health status, communication, and other functions, providing users with an unprecedented convenient experience. No one had ever seen this type of product before!

Student wears Apple watch at breakfast
An Indiana University student toggles through his Apple watch while enjoying his breakfast. His watch enables him to check his calendar, his messages, his health, the weather and much more right from his wrist!

Both models include the A15 Bionic chip with a 5-core GPU, which offers incredible performance and efficiency for demanding workloads, and is designed with privacy and security built in.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus introduce critical safety capabilities such as Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite, a first in the industry. And with amazing battery life, industry-leading durability features, and super-fast 5G, this iPhone lineup is more advanced than ever before.

Employee wears Apple Watch at Work
An employee at the Sugar and Spice cafe, located inside the Indiana Memorial Union, wears an Apple Watch while working the early morning shift. As she works, her Apple Watch monitors her health metrics and keeps her in touch with the world!

This product has a design sense of appearance and the new Digital Crown, realizing the breakthrough of human-technology interaction experience. In addition, Apple Watch can not only check the time, receive notifications, track health data, Apple Pay, but also connect to a cell phone, providing users with a more convenient and faster experience.

Apple Watch is available in different versions for different target user groups, which are mainly divided into three different series:

– Apple Watch: This has a delicate stainless steel case and a sapphire glass screen, the classic design is suitable for business people.

– Apple Watch Sport: This includes a lighter aluminum alloy with a durable Ion-X glass screen for those who love sports.

– Apple Watch Edition: The 18-karat gold case and top-of-the-line craftsmanship provide a premium experience for high-end consumers.

Apple Watch comes with a wide range of interchangeable bands, from sporty rubber bands to classic leather bands, to meet most users’ individual needs and personalize the look of the watch.

Apple Watch features a 24/7 health monitoring system that tracks and records user health data in real-time. For example, the Apple Watch will automatically detect heart rate data every 10 minutes through optical sensors; the program algorithm recognizes the user’s walking, running, cycling, fitness, and other exercise modes and switches the calorie counting model according to different exercise modes to provide users with more accurate calorie consumption data; and the sedentary reminder function reminds the user to stand up using slight vibration of the watch. Apple Watch’s unique “Activity Circle” can also visualize the goals set by the user, encouraging the user to maintain good health and cultivate exercise habits. In addition, the Apple Watch features personalized fitness. It provides suggestions based on the user’s exercise habits, visualizes the user’s fitness goals, and encourages the user to develop good exercise habits.

Apple Watch features a new operating system, which will give users a new experience, and a Retina display with Force Touch technology that recognizes the difference between a tap and a press, providing a more accurate interaction experience. In addition, the Taptic Engine vibrates slightly to notify users of new messages, providing a more natural interaction experience.

Apple Watch connects to the iPhone via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, allowing users to easily answer calls, read text messages, and check emails, and users can also operate via Siri voice assistant. The unique Glance feature allows users to quickly browse weather, calendar, news, and stock market updates with a single swipe to get the information they want. On top of that, Apple’s industry analysts point out that the Apple Watch will expand the audience for the item by differentiating the product. This layered design can also help Apple more quickly complete the watch brand intelligent transformation.

Apple officially revealed that the first batch of Apple Watch products will be carried out in 20 key cities around the world for experience activities. As the date of Apple Watch’s full launch approaches, this new concept product may redefine the way people interact with smart devices, provide more convenient services for people’s lives, and offer more new possibilities for the future development of technology.

Apple Watch Introduction_1

Kevin Lynch explores the new possibilities of the brand new Apple Watch. The Apple Watch comes with multiple unique and creative innovations for the user. 

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