As Berkeley High School (BHS) enters its final season of sports and says goodbye to some of its beloved athletes, BHS also welcomes a new generation of Yellowjackets to the field. Excitement is palpable at the first week of practices, with freshmen eager to impress their new coaches and make their school proud.
Isabel Eknoian, a freshman on the BHS track team, shared her thoughts about starting the spring season: “I have shin splints, so at first it was a little bit of ‘Make sure to pace yourself,’ but I did all the conditioning in the summer and winter, so I’m pretty happy to be on the team.” Eknoian has been running for three years, and this season, she is interested in competing in the 100 meter and 400 meter races.
Bringing focus to the pool, Connor Levi-Lang is swimming for BHS this season. He has been swimming for five years and played water polo in the fall. When asked about his goals for the season, Levi-Lang answered, “I want to go fast and I want to win.” Although his shoulder has been giving him some pain, Levi-Lang remained positive about this season’s swimming and added, “The season’s going to be great — go Jackets!”
Other freshmen are trying something new this season and taking advantage of BHS’s range of athletics. Dylan Oliver, who played on the junior varsity football team in the fall, just started playing lacrosse. “I’m excited to learn a new sport,” Oliver said about the upcoming season.