With a wrap on Camas High School (CHS) winter sports, the spring sport season is beginning with tryouts being held during the week of Mar. 1.
The spring season sports include boys and girls track and field, boys soccer, girls softball, girls golf with a wrap on the boys golf season occurring too, girls tennis, and boys baseball.
“Boys soccer [just got started] down at Doc Harris, and they have got a great season coming up,” CHS Associate Principal and Athletic Director Stephen Baranowski said. “The most exciting thing in that venue is that they just had a locker room renovation, the boosters put up $10,000, and they put up these gorgeous murals and things in the locker room, and so both of our soccer teams are going to get to enjoy that.”
Besides excitement in the locker room, there are high numbers out on the track and on the baseball field, with 250 kids going out for track and field, and the boys baseball team having three teams instead of just two. There have also been 90 girls that are going out for tennis and, according to Baranowski, that number continues to grow.
The athletes are looking forward to their seasons and are hoping to improve in their sport and grow with their teams.
“This last year of my soccer season, I am looking forward to [hopefully] winning state and creating a brotherhood with my new teammates and my old teammates and just really going all out on this last season,” CHS senior Jonah Vandaele said.
“[In track I am looking forward to] making new friends, competing at the meets, and getting a faster mile time,” CHS senior Molly O’Neil said.
These goals require determination and hard work from these athletes, and they are prepared to put the time and effort in to make this last season their best yet.
“[It will take] just going to practice every day and being committed. [As well as] showing a lot of determination,” O’Neil said.
“[I will achieve these things by] working hard every day at school, after school, during soccer practice, and after soccer practice,” Vandaele said. “Taking time off the field, and just really achieving hard work, work ethic, and influencing the next generation.”
This time is bittersweet for these athletes since it is their senior season and the last time that they are going to be with their teammates.
“[As this is my last season] I am going to give it my all, if this is now or never I am going to give it 100% and whenever I am feeling like the last 90th minute on the soccer field for me, I am going to just give it literally 120%,” Vandaele said.
“It kind of feels like the final chapter of the book,” O’Neil said. “It feels a lot more meaningful because it is my last high school experience on [this] team.”
It is important for these athletes to give it their all, but to also enjoy the weather and the time spent with teammates on and off the field.
“I think spring sports is a great time to just get outside. All our sports are outside in the spring, which is exciting because when you walk around campus after school, you see how many kids are doing things all over the place,” Baranowski said. “Runners running past you, the tennis courts are full, the turf’s full, baseball and softball are full. It is a good time to get outside and enjoy the Great Pacific Northwest Weather eventually, but also just to connect with classmates and to get involved and have fun.”
