Freshman sports night allows soon-to-be freshmen to see all the sports VHS has to offer

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the yearly eighth grade sports night hosted at VHS hasn’t been held since 2020. Then on May 4, 2022, the annual eighth grade sports night was once again allowed to happen. In the Tuttle Gym, many sports at VHS gathered, with individual tables to display all the sports achievements. Athletes and coaches walked around and advertised their sports. Eighth graders from every middle school in Ventura were invited to attend and see what sports VHS has to offer. The night started out with a brief introduction of each sport and the location of the booths. After that eight graders were sent off to wander and explore all the tables. 

“I think it’s exciting that we get to try out for all these different sports because you have so many different options, so you can do anything really,” said Cabrillo Middle School eighth-grader Hazel Richard.

“I’ve looked at beach volleyball, regular volleyball, swim and dive and then track & field,” said Richard, who’s primarily a volleyball player.. 

“It’s really cool how many options and everyone seems really nice to talk to. The [sports] that have caught my attention are wrestling and golf,” said Anacapa Middle schooler eight-grader Davin Dedman, who like Richards is coming into high school already knowing what he wants to do.

“I think tonight inspires a lot of young athletes to try new things. One of the best things you can do for yourself as a young athlete is to explore sports that you’re even mildly interested in or sports that you love. High schools are the time to try these things and to expose yourself and to meet people,” said VHS math teacher Logan Norris, who also coaches the golf team. 

“My job here tonight is to promote our golf program. We’ve had a pretty successful year but we are old and now our responsibility is to promote this for the younger group of students coming in so that we can build the future of the program,” said Norris.

 Like Norris, freshman Ruby Welch, who’s on the girl’s water polo team was in charge of handing out flyers filled with waterpolo information. “Basically, I’m handing out flyers and just talking up waterpolo, like how much fun it is and what exactly it is. Just trying to get people to join waterpolo,” said Welch. 

“I think it just gives a lot of these eight-graders more options because a lot of people don’t have a passion for a sport quite yet. I went through several sports before I found waterpolo and truly enjoyed it, it just gives people a chance to find a sport that they’re really passionate about and give it a go. Because honestly doing high school sports is a great experience for everyone,” said Welch.