design: Nick Allen
photo credit: Grayson Bell
The upcoming spring sports season is blooming with possibilities for each team and every athlete. As the complications of last year begin to wear away, there’s high hopes the student athletes can redeem themselves for the season they couldn’t have last year.
Athletic Director Brett Diehl has longed for this spring season so his athletes have the opportunity to compete and has said he is excited to see the season’s outcome.
Sports like track have six weeks of “offseason” as coach Walters said for students dedicated to the sport to ready their bodies and abilities before meets begin. The girls varsity first meet is on April 7 against Westerville Central and boys varsity against St. Charles.
“There are 17 events this year including, running events that range in distances from the 100m to 3200m (two miles), there are four four-person relays, and the field events are pole vault, long jump, high jump, shot put, and discus,” Head Track Coach, Adam Walters said.
Track is the only sport in the school with more than 100 students competing and with COVID being a factor this season, guidelines from OHSAA are still waiting to be heard.
Tanner Hegarty, having played lacrosse all four years of high school and a lacrosse commit at Wingate University, was very disappointed to not have a season last year. “I’m most excited this year to play real games against other teams. I was sad that last year we didn’t get to play any games because I think we had a very successful future ahead of us last season then everything got cancelled”, Hegarty said.
The boys have their first scrimmage March 13 against Perrysburg High School while the girls have their first scrimmage March 9 against Hilliard Darby High School.
For girls lacrosse, seniors like Raneem Ali who isn’t playing lacrosse in college but loves the sport, this is her last chance to play on a team with a crowd.
“I am excited I get to at least play my senior year, especially since I missed the whole junior year season, which I feel is one of the most important to play. But I can’t complain too much because this year we have had so much to make it special and even prioritize outside practice rather than inside because of COVID, but it makes it more fun,” Ali said.
“We have not received the guidelines from OHSAA on number limitations for any sport yet, but there could be some limits on the number of team members allowed to attend games. Coach Walters has done an excellent job in his planning for this season to allow for track to have larger numbers of students participating but also keeping members safe,” Diehl said.
Boys baseball has their first game March 10 against Thomas Worthington High School while girls softball has their first game March 9 against Westerville Central High School. Boys Tennis and Volleyball have yet to set dates for their matches.
Diehl said while they are waiting to hear from OHSAA, they are almost certain guidelines will be similar to what has been in place throughout the school year.
After a year of compromise, these students have said they are eager to play and show what they’ve spent months preparing for.
