Spring sports are springing into vision, and many amazing sports have already begun their seasons.
Track is off to a quick start and with huge expectations already looming the athletes are up to the challenge. Senior Matthew Altman when speaking about his goals for the season said, “We want at least three state records.” These big goals do not stop at just the boys team though the same response was shared by junior, Marina Turpin, “We want to win state, our coaches as well want us to do well in districts.” Although winning isn’t new to this famous team, the athletes are adapting to new challenges such as Turpin, “I’m really looking forward to racing again, I’ve been hurt for about 6-7 weeks but I am really excited to see everyone again on other teams and just really getting back into it.” At the same time Altman told us about his excitement for some new additions to their team, “We brought in a lot of new coaching staff, a specific starting coach which is new for us, Coach Joe.” Looking into the future, the track team is anticipating some big events. Senior Josie Donelson said, “I’m super excited for state, it’s our last real swing at things and I am excited to see how far we have come when we finally get there.” She continued on the topic of state by saying, “As a team, we’re definitely going for the 4×4 or the 4×1, same for the guys too I’d say.” Ultimately, the team is off to a great start and Altman summed up his remarks with a final, “State or bust.”
There is also a lot to love about the tennis season beginning. Junior Parker Rice talked about how “our team’s goal is to create a positive environment where everyone can push themselves to be better. We are also looking forward to having the best season that we can.” The Lake Oswego Tennis program has created a “community” according to Rice stating, “We all actively hangout with one another” With a new season comes new opportunities and this season Rice shared their new methods to achieve their goals, “We’re implementing harder, warm-ups and workouts as well as more conditioning to help get our players in shape who haven’t been practicing on the off-season.” Girls tennis shared many of the same remarks with junior Kate Eames stating, “Our team goals are to become closer as a team, to be competitive, and to be successful.” To ensure a successful long term program, girls tennis has made some changes to their program, Eames said, “ Our team is trying out having a smaller varsity team and a larger varsity swing team, as our coach is trying to make JV and swing stronger, so when they join varsity, they will be even more competitive.” Back on the note of community Eames is excited to grow closer with her team trip in April, “We’ve never done it before, and I’m very excited to spend extra time playing and hanging out with my teammates.”
Softball swings quickly into action but not the way they quite predicted, “A lot of people who have been on varsity in the past are out for this season.. Our goal is to play our best game,” sophomore Ava Beach said. The team had a decent season last year and with a new coach this year they are hoping to get even better results out of it. Beach spoke highly of the new coach saying, “Our new coach is very into empowering us. I think he’s really into us winning and playing the best we can but ensuring we’re all having fun while doing it.” When asked about how their season has been going so soon into the season beach responded, “So far we have gotten very close this year so just continuing to build those bonds.” Their coach has done a lot to contribute to the good team mentality and to encourage the girls’ bonds, Beach continued to say, “We really work hard to strengthen our relationships and do a lot of team bonding.”
Boys baseball is up to bat this spring with a mix of sophomores, juniors and senior athletes on the varsity roster. Senior Finley Smithexplains the growing excitement behind their season, “This year’s team is very good and has great chemistry. We know that we are the team to beat in the state and we have to go out every game knowing that we need to compete and win. We have the best coaching staff in the state and they will get us ready to go to win a state title when playoffs come.” Conor Croteau, a senior teammate of Smiths,’ also adds, “We have really high expectations for the season… I’m really excited to just play games with the guys and go down to play in Arizona.” Croteau, enthusiastic for the season, also doesn’t want you to forget, “Come watch baseball this year!”
Swinging into action, both girls and boys golf are on par toward a good season. Junior Ansley Kang believes her team has high expectations for the season, “I would say my team’s goal is to win state. We were two strokes away last year and my freshman year we were also really close to winning. It would be nice to finally win this year.” A huge change that will make an interesting change in training for the golf team is their new coaching staff. Sophomore Alexis Zou explains, “This season we have a new golf coach, Coach Micah Frey, and a new assistant coach, Coach Matt. They’ve constructed a new and more rigorous schedule for us so we have more practice time, conditioning, and drills. I’m looking forward to seeing how that will positively impact our games and bring us to a higher level.” Furthermore, Zou added “Join the golf team!! I’ve made some great friends through the girls golf team, and it’s so much fun being out on the course together everyday.”
As for boys, they are just as pumped to get into their season. Sophomore Drew Woolworth explains “Our team goals are to win every league match, get better everyday, have everyone shoot a new personal best, and to win state. I’m looking forward to playing with teammates, having fun, and getting to play some good golf courses.” Woolworth agrees his team has set high expectations and has set new standards to achieve, and said that the boys golf team will be “focusing on our weaknesses to strengthen them and we are going to help everyone to strive to be their best so we can all succeed as a team.”
Lastly, big aspirations are in order with the start of the season for boys and girls lacrosse. Girls Lacrosse’s team goal, according to Junior Meredith Rubenstein, is to win state. She is “looking forward to our trip to LA over spring break.” For Boy’s Lacrosse, Senior Travis Weischadle believes it will be the “Deepest Playoff run since 2019.” Senior Lacrosse player Brooks Olsen illustrated the team’s main “goal is to make it to the championship game and have fun.” Weischadle adds, “We have a lot more experience this year, with plenty of players playing in college next year and even more club players. We have a lot we want out of this season, we just have to execute.”
