Sports can play a major part in the lives of kids, teenagers and even adults. They all are usually actively engaged in what they do. Many athletes think of their teams as their family. That’s one of the things they all have in common.

Sophomore Kylie Focht feels that playing sports are enjoyable and everything works perfectly throughout her scheduling. 

“I play three sports, I do swimming, competition cheerleading and school cheerleading. I’ve been doing cheerleading since I was in elementary school, [started] competition cheerleading this year and [have been] swimming for three years. I have a schedule, I have days where I can miss swimming and go cheerleading, but then I have a school routine. Swimming is all year round while competition cheerleading is only for a certain amount of time,” Focht said. 

Focht strongly believes that the friendships she makes throughout playing sports are important to her.

“Sophomore Kaylynn Manley and freshman Megan Mckee both do cheerleading and swimming with me; we all walk to school together sometimes and go wherever we have to go for cheerleading or swimming. Cheerleading has more drama, but we are close but not as close. It’s hard for the girls while swimming has a stronger bond,” Focht said. 

While some people have played multiple sports growing up, senior Tessa O’Keefe played one sport for a few years  before playing another.

“I play two different types of sports which are basketball and softball. I have played basketball since I was four years old and I started playing softball my freshman year in the summer. I mainly focus on school first, then sports. I usually take time on the weekends to work on my skills and balance work at the same time, but sometimes it gets challenging,” O’Keefe said. 

Bonds have been very important to O’Keeffe; they have formed friendships over the years that have occurred. 

“Personally the bonds I’ve made with other people in basketball over all the years were some of the greatest friendships. Our basketball coach, Chris Fleegle, always preached about #family. After COVID-19 hit and we were quarantined during the season, we all stuck together and made it through. I truly felt as if we were a family,” O’Keefe said. “As for softball, these girls push you and want you to be the best athlete you can possibly be. The seniors on the team are some of the best teammates anyone could ask for. I can truly say that they are some of my close friends, I know if I’m having a bad day I can go and talk to them and they know they can do the same.”

While some people continue to pursue different sport careers, O’Keefe has decided that she will continue to pursue her basketball career.

“Mallory Cree and I have played basketball together since fourth grade along with Brooklynn Rupert, Adalynn Cherry and Adaliz Corbin. I have decided to commit to basketball and pursue my career at Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport. I do not intend on pursuing my softball career after high school,” O’Keeffe said.

Freshman Hailey Kravetz feels that the sports she plays has helped her form a bond that feels like family. She has played soccer for a long period of time while she has just started her track and field career. 

“I’m on the track and field team, and I play soccer for the school. I’ve done track since seventh grade, and I’ve done soccer since I was four. It’s definitely hard, but I usually do sports right after school and do my homework after sports. Both teams are more like a family and we do a lot of activities together that help us bond together outside of school. Quinn Boslet and I just go to practices together and go to school together,” Kravetz said.

Timing for Sophomore Ajaad White is very easy when it comes to sports. While he only plays two sports during different seasons, his schedule is not as busy as some of the other athletes.

“I play two different kinds of sports. Basketball and track are the two types of sports I play. I’ve played basketball since I was in sixth grade and I played track since eighth grade. My time is very flexible so I get to go to school, practices and other places easily. I feel closer to the basketball team than the track team. I’ve been on the basketball team longer and we do more team bonding activities that the track team does,” White said.

Senior Sarah Graham has played sports while growing up, and she is very close with her team.

“I play soccer in the fall and run track in the winter and spring. I have been playing soccer since elementary school, and I started track in seventh grade. I have become good at using a calendar to plan when I have sports, when I need to get school work done, and when I have time to do other things that I need to do. The soccer team is very close knit because it’s a smaller group. A lot of kids usually come out for track, but it’s still a very positive environment where everyone cheers each other on,” Graham said.

Graham and her teammates still play sports together to this day.

“Many of the teammates that play soccer with me also run track. Two of my friends who are seniors like me, Darrian and Lydia, have been playing soccer with me since elementary school and running track with me since junior high. Some of the other girls who run track and play soccer are junior Lauren Kiser, Ashtyn Hileman, Becca Dull, sophomore Maura Kiser and freshman Quinn Boslet and Hailey Kravetz. I plan to try out for the soccer team at Dickinson College next year,” Graham said.

While some athletes thrive  playing one or two sports, freshman Brennen Freiwald plays three. They aren’t at all stressful for him.

“Baseball, basketball and football are the sports that I have played growing up. I’ve played football since I was in second grade, then I played basketball since I was in second grade and baseball since I was in preschool. I usually do my school work before I do sports, [and] whenever I don’t have anything to do I usually hangout with friends. It’s not stressful playing all three sports since they occur during different seasons. Honestly, I feel that the bonds between the teammates are the same, we all feel like we’re family. I do play with a few of my friends that play other sports with me as well,” Freiwald said.

For sophomore Maura Kiser, being an athlete consumes her times between school work, family and work times. Her schedule is very busy, but she manages her times really well. 

“I play two sports: soccer and indoor and outdoor track. I have been playing soccer for about 11 years and track has been about four years. Being a dual student athlete, my schedule can get very busy; however I tend to manage it pretty well. I have a strong work ethic, so I get my work done in advance so I don’t feel rushed after practices or even my job. I also manage to maintain straight A’s, which is one thing I’m very proud of,” Kiser said.

Most of her friendships come from soccer and her friends also play indoor and outdoor track with her as well. 

“On both teams, soccer and track, we are all very close and love spending time with each other. We all get along so well and have so much in common. There are always good times and lots of laughs at practice. Most of the girl sprinters on the track team play soccer as well, so it’s very nice to see familiar faces and continuing friendships throughout different sports. For soccer, I’ve been playing with some of the girls longer than others, just because of the age difference. For track, I’ve been running with most of the girls for about three to four years now,” Kiser said.