The Challeneges Of Being In A High School Sport
Are You Up For The Challenge!?
Every year West Hills Womens Soccer team brings together a new group of girl’s with different athletic ablities, talents and goals to keep up with in this grinding sport. Earlier this week I had interviewed a Junior currently on the team, who had started playing when she was a freshman. The reason I choose Lauren Gudino is because she is a hard working player who had started off knowing no one on the team and showing her coaches and team mates that she was up for the challenge of being in high school sport and facing everything that comes with it. In our interview I will be asking Lauren all about her training, personal life and school to really grasp the life of an athelete and student.
In the everyday life of Lauren Gudino(#5) she has her family, friends, boyfriend and school life that she has to deal with. How does she handle a year round sport, high school and a social life so well? Lets find out.
When did you start playing soccer?
- I started playing soccer when I was 4 years old.
What inspired you to play soccer?
- My dad loved watching the sport, being around it, everything about soccer and my older sister also played it was fun for my whole family.
What do you perfer more high school soccer or club soccer?
- Although I fell in love with high school soccer because it is so fun, Club will always have my heart because I am constantly moving and learning new things to improve myself.
Can you explain you high school tryouts for each year?
- For freshman year I would definatly say it was the worst I didn’t know anyone, there was amazing competion i didn’t feel as good as everyone else, it was the most nerve racking tryout I have ever done.
- Sophmore year I was more confident because I made it my freshman year.
- Junior year I was automatically on the team.
What is your favortite position?
- My favorite position is right defensive back.
Do you plan on playing in college? If so where?
- Yes I do plan on playing in college at UCSB.
How is your relationship with the players?
- Awsome, everyone is super nice and supportive. We are a family and watch out for each other on and off the feild.
What do you want to achieve your senior year?
- I hope to be a captain to bring my team more displine, which will hopefully give us more wins in our season and also so I can go to CIF my senior year. Also another goal for my senior year is to start every game and try and score at least every game.
In your opinion, are you more involved in school when you are in a high school sport?
- I say yes, because before I came into highschool I wanted to ease by under the radar, but when your apart of a sport you feel important and people reconginize you for your athletic ablilties everything you have been working on comes to life and it’s exciting to be seen for what you have been working so hard on and you can’t forget about having outstanding school spirit for sporting events.
In your opinion, do high school sports keep you more focused on school and keep you away from bad crowds?
- Yes, because you are always busy and if you are serious about the sport you reliaze you really don’t have time for messing around. High school sports keep you on your toes with your grades and keep you on top of things, practices teach you to be on time for anything in your life and when you have good grades you can play and it’s better for you future in the long run.
Has soccer ever conflicted with friends, family or your relationship?
- Yes, because it takes up alot of time, but everyone is always supportive and never gives up on me or tells me to quit doing what I love because I can’t hangout sometimes.
Does your team have any before game retiuals?
- Not for high school, but for club we do a prayer and we do chants.
Now that our interview has ended, Lauren Gudino has explained her high school and club career in soccer. She brought us to understand the daily routines that players of any sport go threw every day to play such intence sports. Battling with school, friends, relationships and a year round sport shows us how fun it can be interacting with school events and also has a positive impact on yourself personally and physically, keeping you on your toes with grades and making good decisions. Lauren stated in our interview that “ yes, soccer is a hassle at times but it’s all worth it in the end, the sport keeps me in shape and healthy, it’s hard to have a social life and a relationship but you have to know what you are giving up when joining a year round, time consuming, traveling sport. My friends, boyfriend and family all support me in the end and help me reach my goal to play soccer in college at UCSB”. Even though going threw the struggles of being tired all the time and having barely any social life Lauren has made alot of friends from soccer and never regretted playing, she believes it has made her into an amazing confident, mature person on and off the feild. Lauren Gudino started this challenge as a freshman. Could you handle this challenge?
