Transitioning from the intramural sports experience, freshman athletes Katelyn Hong, Serena Mai, and Tyler Bolger are taking on high school sports practices and games, participating in cross country, volleyball, and basketball respectively. These athletes have begun adjusting to high school athletics and the new responsibilities they bring.
The main distinction between high school and junior high sports is the games themselves; high school athletes compete against teams outside of the district, while intramurals always compete within the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD).
“In high school sports, the competitiveness is increased since we’re going against so many new students from different schools and districts,” Hong, a junior varsity cross country athlete, said.
Hong sees cross country as a gateway for making connections and bonds, despite the challenge of high school sports.
“I really enjoyed meeting my new high school teammates, the tenth to twelfth graders, because they were very nice and had much more experience. It was cool to hear their tips and advice.” Hong said.
Students are also able to broaden their social circles with more upperclassmen upon joining high school athletics, just as Mai, a freshman varsity volleyball athlete, did.
“Don’t be afraid to show what your capabilities are and don’t be intimidated by upperclassmen. Make sure to be yourself around everybody and give encouragement [to] everybody” Mai said.
Mai adds that by playing sports early on in high school, athletes are able to gain more experience that builds into the next year; this is especially true for freshmen adjusting to high school sports.
For freshman varsity basketball player Tyler Bolger, athletics isn’t just everything in his high school career; making sure his academics are up to par is his priority as well.
“One challenge I do have [with sports] is having to juggle both high school and club basketball practices. I solve this by completing as much homework as I possibly can both inside and outside of school,” Bolger said.
Bolger also added that high school players receive better equipment, coaches, and further knowledge on the sport like strategy and performance. He states that since the sport is played at a high level in high school, players need to learn how to be coachable and hardworking.
The high school sports experience introduces a level of athletics that features more competition, opponents, and connections.
“You shouldn’t take sports too seriously. I feel that I stress too much about how other people see me based on my results. It doesn’t really matter because I joined cross country for the fun of it, which makes me enjoy the sport for that rather than stressing about my mile time,” Hong said.
Although the adjustment to high school sports may be tough at times, freshman athletes can learn how to see the joy and companionship that comes with making new friends and memories, in addition to adapting to their sport at a high school level and becoming the best versions of themselves.
