As the end of the year approaches, junior high intramural sports are wrapping up their seasons with athletes participating in boys volleyball, girls softball, and girls and boys track and field. This quarter, 8th-grade student-athletes reflect on their journey and progress through the season and upcoming goals for high school.
Boys volleyball, a popular sport amongst male junior high students, had a lot of athletes try out for the season. 8th grader Zachary Truong was one of the athletes to be picked as a starting player on the 8th grade boys team.
“I love volleyball because of its precise nature and the adrenaline you get when you make a good play. The fact that people can execute such precise, perfect plays while only being able to touch the ball for split seconds is unlike any other sport out there,” Truong said.
Truong, a player with three years of club experience, is already skilled in volleyball; still, he shares that there are numerous components to the game that intramurals taught him.
“Intramurals have allowed me to build my teamwork skills and adaptability. Playing with completely different people, some of whom I rarely talk to, has taught me to work well and adapt…it taught me to connect with whoever was around me, whether I know them or not,” Troung said.
Truong hopes to continue playing volleyball in high school with his older brother, who plays for Oxford’s boys varsity volleyball team. Truong encourages younger students to participate in intramurals, as it is a great way to connect with people, get active, and have fun.
Being a co-ed sport that attracted students due to the wide variety of events available to try, track and field allowed athletes to hone their skills in running, jumping, throwing, and hurdling.
“I chose this sport because in 7th grade I decided to do cross country for fun, and then followed it with track that year. And then from that experience I decided to commit to doing track,” 8th grade track and field athlete Jaden Adhavan said.
The myriad of events track and field offers allows students to explore their passions and find their niche, even something they can potentially take into high school.
“I definitely plan on continuing track in high school,” Adhavan said “Something I’d tell others to encourage them to join intramural sports is that you might really love playing and competing in the sport and its best to just try it out.”
Finally, girls softball serves as the concluding girls intramural sport for the school year; this formidable, tight-knit team was able to confidently take on other schools on the pitch. 8th grade athlete Katelyn Truong was an active member of the softball team.
“I love all the players that I was able to connect with during my time with softball. The community is absolutely amazing, and it is undoubtedly one of the best parts of the game. I also love that the game [is] not just about the physical aspect of things, but it also incorporates the mental aspects as well, making one think about different scenarios before they make any moves.” Truong said.
Beyond learning the skills of each game, intramurals allow junior high athletes to learn lessons that they can apply beyond the track, court, or pitch.
