With fall sports coming to an exciting end of the 2023-2024 season, Winter sports are in full swing as of Monday, November 13. This season, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls wrestling, girls gymnastics, and boys swim and dive are starting up. This week being tryout week, many of the Tahoma students are excited and getting ready for their winter sports, and are encouraging others to join them.
Tahoma athletes have been working incredibly hard in order to make it to state for their sport this winter. Here what just some of the many athletes geering up for winter sports have to say about the season.
“In my opinion, basketball is the best sport”
Ryan Salisbury, a junior at Tahoma this year, explains his love for basketball and excitement for the sport this winter. He has been playing basketball for 10 years and has been a part of the Tahoma team since his freshman year.
On the girl’s basketball team, Gracyn Meyer, a junior playing for Tahoma this year, has been playing basketball since fifth grade. When asked about the team environment, Meyer expressed how the team has allowed her to grow.
“My favorite part of the sport is probably the relationships and friendships I’ve made through years of competition. When you spend so much time together between practices and games and go through many highs and lows together, you really bond and that’s something that lasts beyond the court”
Just like basketball, wrestling creates a fun atmosphere where athletes come to learn and grow as an athlete while being a part of a family-like environment. Joe Sullivan and Liz Kovacs are a part of the Tahoma Wrestling team. Both Athletes have been wrestling since freshman year with Tahoma.
While Sullivan joined the Tahoma team his freshmen year, he has been wrestling since he was six years old and has grown to love the sport more and more. Sullivan encourages anyone interested to, “Come join our team and join our family, wrestling has changed all of our lives and it can for you as well.”
“My favorite part of wrestling is traveling with the team. We traveled to Reno, Idaho, and Eastern Washington last year and I am excited to compete in these big tournaments and travel with our team again this year.”
Liz Kovacs, a senior at Tahoma, is pushing for state this season and has been working in her off season in preparation for this season.
“I love being able to always learn new things and always be able to improve. The Tahoma team is amazing because we have coaches that are really passionate and dedicated to helping every individual.”
Lucy Raulerson, a junior this year, is excited to try Tahoma gymnastics, this being her first year she will be competing for Tahoma. Raulerson has been in gymnastics since she was four years old. Although this will be her first year with Tahoma, Raulerson explains that of what she knows, the team atmosphere has “such an amazing connection.”
“My favorite part of my sport is the team environment that it has, everyone loves each other and I don’t think there is another sport quite like gymnastics. I feel like there is so much freedom that comes in it.”
Tahoma boys swim and dive has had many triumphs in the past, and junior, Dainen Peterson is looking forward to his third year on the Tahoma Swim and Dive team. While Dainen does multiple other sports, swim has helped him grow as an athlete. As an athlete of multiple sports, he encourages others to join the Tahoma Swim and Dive team.
“If you’re thinking about doing it, either because you are good at swimming, or just want something to do, do it because it will make you stronger, very helpful for your body, and it’s a challenge because swimming is a difficult sport.”
Winter is almost here and there are so many sports now open for registration. Tryouts for winter sports start on Monday, November 13, and go until the end of the week for anyone interested in trying something new. While all the sports this season are unique, each one creates a team environment where everyone is there to have fun and grow as an athlete.
As this season kicks off, come support your fellow bears as they battle it out against the other schools in the 4A NPSL!
