Luke Orth ’18

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Strake Jesuit sports are consistently highly competitive. Every year, hundreds of students see if they have what it takes to represent their school and community by wearing the green and white out on the field. However, the competition does not begin at tryouts. It begins over the summer, where students have the opportunity to better their skills outside of school. No student becomes a Strake Jesuit athlete overnight. Rather, it takes long hours of hard work, motivation and dedication. With summer close by, several students have already planned out their map to success.

Track and Field is one of Jesuit’s finest athletic teams. With numerous students going out to participate every year, it brings about some intense competition. For many, the ultimate goal is to reach the Varsity level. I interviewed two track and field varsity hopefuls to see what they planned to do in order to achieve this goal.

To begin, I talked to a current sophomore on the Junior Varsity track team who runs the 100 meter dash. When asked his plan for this summer, he replied, “I am going to attend Strake’s Track and Field camp over the summer. I also plan to run everyday.” To make the varsity team during his junior year, he must seriously impress the coaches. One of the coaches he hopes to impress is Coach Collier. When asked about him, the runner replied, “ Coach Collier is my favorite track coach because he is determined to make each and everyone of the runners practice hard so that they can perform their best.” After talking with the sprinter, I spoke to a sophomore student who participates in discus, one of the field events. He also hopes to reach the varsity level during his junior year. For his summer plans, he said, “I am going to join the Rice track and field camp, and hit the weight room by my house, so that I can hopefully make varsity.” About the team, he said, “It’s a way that I can exercise and get my mind off of everything.” Additionally, when asked about his favorite coach, he responded, “My favorite coach is Coach Hoelscher because he makes sure we reach our best potential.” With great coaching and determination, these two athletes are on the road to success.

To find a different perspective, I spoke with a sophomore student and varsity hopeful that plays on the JV Green soccer team. After making a playoff run this season, the Varsity soccer team is a very competitive team to make. Dozens of student from two junior varsity teams will compete for a spot on the varsity squad next fall, and it all begins this summer. When asked about how he trains, he said, “I play with my club team, Express. Over the summer we practice twice a week. We’re also going to play in tournaments in Oklahoma City, Colorado, and Austin.” Additionally, he said, “I’m also going to the UT Dallas camp, where I’ll do some scrimmaging and shooting drills.” Practice makes perfect, and in this case, practice gives these students a shot at playing at the highest level of their high school.