After dedicating years of hard work towards their sports, all athletes know that one day will be their last time lacing up their shoes, stepping onto the field, or putting on their caps and jerseys. As the class of 2023’s athletes race to the end of their high school careers, they have all collected tons of unforgettable memories while playing for OA.
Jackson Goulding, Boys Soccer
Jackson Goulding co-captained two years of boys varsity soccer and played all four years of high school. One of their greatest challenges, he noticed the team struggled with confidence on-and-off the field during the start of his run. As co-captain, he proudly notes how over the years the team improved their outlook, from thinking they would lose every game to playing like a force to be reckoned with.
“I don’t know what exactly changed that mindset for us, but I definitely feel a difference,” says Goulding. “We feel more like a team that we know our opponents have to take seriously, and that helped change the culture with Oxford soccer.”
Improving to the point of making the CIF finals, he’s proud of their 2023 run. One of his fondest memories with this year’s team was the penalty kicks that won them a game in the CIF semifinals.
Kasandra Sano, Girls Soccer
Kasandra Sano began her soccer journey in elementary school and carried her passion throughout high school. During her time playing for OA, she recalls growing not only as an athlete but also experiencing a greater sense of camaraderie. Sano will miss playing with all of her friends, including their team bonding events. However, Sano initially struggled with anxiety during her junior year as an athlete. She wasn’t confident as a player at the time, but she realized there is more to a sport than the wins or the stats.
“Do it because you want to and have fun, don’t let anxieties affect whether you want to do it or not,” says Sano.
After learning to overcome her anxiety on the field, Sano now appreciates sports, especially for helping her branch out socially in and out of the sports community.
Elizabeth Kim, Girls Basketball
Elizabeth Kim started her basketball career at the age of seven and went on to play girls varsity basketball during her freshman year. Her favorite memory is going to Catalina Island to play in the CIF playoffs for the first time in four years. During her stint on the team, Kim realized she needed to improve at Oxford, and she encourages younger athletes to keep pushing through self doubts in order to grow.
“Although high school sports may be more intense than junior high sports, don’t let it discourage you. Over my high school career, even as one of the youngest and weakest players on the team my freshman year, it’s been fun to watch myself grow and develop as a player each year,” said Kim.
Closing off their final highlights of their highschool careers, the class of 2023 athletes are signing off, after finally reaching the end of their OA finish lines.
