Q: How long have you been playing basketball? What prompted you to start playing? Have you played any other sports in high school?  A: I’ve been playing basketball since I was like seven years old. I got into the game because my sister played and my dad was a coach, so it made me want to give it a shot. I haven’t attempted to play any other sports other than basketball.  Q: Describe your favorite memory or moment from playing basketball.  A: My favorite memory from basketball will...

Q: Who or what inspires you to work hard as a basketball player? A: Coach [Durmount Perry] and my dad.  Q: Why did you decide to play?  A: I decided to play because I love the competition of the sport, the fans and playing post.  Q: How have your coach and your teammates influenced your years of wrestling?  A: The coach and team influenced me and had my back throughout the years I played high school basketball. During practices we all pushed each other for the best.  Q: Describe...

Growing up, senior Esther Manson fantasized about playing basketball in high school. Although she took an untraditional path to her senior year, Manson persevered through adversity to have her season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  “Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be a basketball player, but I never thought I was good enough to play for a team. When I first got to high school, Coach Perry introduced me to basketball. Previously, I played basketball in fifth grade, but then...

Q: “What was your favorite moment from the swim team?” A: “I think my favorite moment from the swim team was all the quality time I spent with my teammates and the bonds that were created by the end of the season. The Christianburg meets were always my favorites because they were a long drive so we would have to get up really early and we’d end up getting home late so then we got to eat dinner together too. The pool was also really nice just because it was big so you could have a lot of...

Q: Favorite memory from track? A: I really enjoyed going to Liberty University because it’s usually really packed, and the races can get really crazy.   Q: What has this sport taught you? A: It has taught me a great routine and a great way to stay in shape that hopefully, I can take to college with me.   Q: How has this sport changed you as a person?  A: I think track has definitely given me lots of great opportunities, and I’ve really enjoyed the friends that...

Growing up in the city of Harrisonburg, swimming was always an integral part of Stella Alexious’ childhood summers. Now a senior at Harrisonburg High School, Alexiou is facing the reality that her nostalgic memories of swimming are coming to an end with the announcement of the suspension of winter sports by Harrisonburg City Schools.  “I am going to miss high school swimming so much, it has meant the most to me. I am going to miss goofing off with everyone and having such a good time together...

Q: Describe your favorite memory/moment in your sport. A: One of my favorite memories in the sport is probably going to the Liberty meets. Those were always very eventful and it is nice to see everyone compete.  Q: What is the biggest takeaway that you have learned playing this sport? A: Making new friends, and not taking stuff for granted. This is the only time you'll be able to ever play a high school sport, and if you don't take the chance to try out you're gonna regret it later. Q:...

Friday afternoon and the only sounds you can hear coming from the gymnasium are thud, creek, and the scraping of velcro. Peeking your head in, you see gymnasts from across the county and athletes of all skill levels practicing together.  A year ago this was senior Lizzy Healy’s life. Now, she doesn’t have a gym to practice in and her season is cancelled. Despite these setbacks, Healy appreciated the two seasons she competed with the gymnastics team.  “I didn't start gymnastics until...

Q: What does wrestling mean to you? A: Wrestling to me [is] like the game of life; when you live you win, when you die you lose. Q: Describe your favorite memory from wrestling? A: My favorite moment is when we could take the whole team with us to states last year. It felt good to not be the only person from our team going to states. Q: What is your biggest take away from wrestling? A: [My biggest takeaway from the sport is] how much it makes you grow as a person. Q: How have you...

Q: What is your favorite moment from swimming?  A: I've actually been [swimming] since I was six years old. I have been in swim for quite a long time now and it's really hard to pick a favorite memory. In my time on the high school team, I think one of my favorite things that I remember is, when we went to the meet [that] we would go to every year in Christiansburg. One year, everyone had personal bests from that meet. We were all really proud of ourselves. When we were coming back on the bus,...

As both of her sisters went through their high school careers running year round, senior Isabel Campillo decided she wanted to pursue swimming during the winter instead. Although Campillo ended up running both cross country and track by her junior year, she considers swimming her main sport. Although Campillo started swimming when she was four years old on the summer league swim team, the Spotswood Dolphins, she had always loved being in water.  “I actually always liked the water for some...

Senior Korry Sochacki has done indoor track for the past one and a half years. Unfortunately, the pandemic has canceled all winter sports, but that hasn’t stopped Sochacki from reflecting on her experience as an indoor track athlete. Sochacki joined track as a sophomore after being convinced by her friends to try it out. “I decided to start track because I did track in eighth grade. I got hurt when I was doing gymnastics, so I couldn’t do sports for a while and then my friends convinced...

Q: Can you describe your favorite memory/moment in your sport? A: “My favorite moment [is] last year in the semifinals against Spotswood [highschool], when I had the game winning bucket. It was crazy, hearing the crowd roaring and all my teammates running and jumping on me.”  Q: What is your biggest takeaway that you have learned playing basketball? A: “Don’t take anything for granted because anything can happen.”  Q: Can you describe a challenge you overcame in your sport...

Q: Describe your favorite memory, or moment in your sport. A: I would say the district meet from this year [was my favorite moment. We ran [the] four by two, we came in second place. Leading the packs, being up front. And, having everybody cheer for you. We were all satisfied with our placement afterwards.  Q: What part of competing was your favorite? A: The rush. The rush of running, competing, and seeing everybody cheer for you. knowing that you can catch the guys in front of you, It's...

Q: Who or what inspires you to work hard as a wrestler? A: My mom inspired me because it kept me out of trouble and kept me working in school. Q: Why did you decide to play? A: My brother was always picking on me, and I decided that I wasn't going to have it any more. Q: How have your coach and your teammates influenced your years of wrestling? A: They tried their best to help me out in anyways they could, and they pushed me to work harder. Q: Describe your favorite memory...

Jesse Lichti has been playing basketball for as long as he can remember. He's overcome challenges and grown on the court and off of it. Lichti has played basketball for the Harrisonburg High school team for all of his four years there, and before that he played for his middle school team. “I’ve been playing basketball for pretty much my whole life. but I started playing with the school [team] in the seventh grade,” Lichti said. During recent times COVID-19 has affected many athletes...

Q: Describe your favorite memory/moment in the sport. A: "I think my favorite memory so far was seeing David run his way to nationals, but also, watching him and the 4x8 [relay] team last year was electric." Q: What is your biggest takeaway that you have learned playing this sport? A: "I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is perspective, just realizing how many kids enjoy this sport as much as I do." Q: Describe a challenge you overcame in your sport and how you moved on. A: "My...

After swimming on the local club team, The Virginia Gators, for a majority of her life, senior Mia Constantin decided to continue her swimming career in high school.  “I [have] been swimming since I was 7 years old. My eighth grade year was transitional for me in my sport. It was an interesting transition on to the high school team because I was considered an underdog,” Constantin said.  After transitioning to the high school team, Constantin persevered through the face of adversity on...

Q: What sport do you play and why? A: I did wrestling all four years of high school mainly because I didn’t make [the] JV basketball [team] my freshman year and I had… wrestling [experience] before. Q: Describe your favorite moment/memory in your sport. A: My favorite moment happened to be last year watching the 120 weight class state finals. They had gone into overtime. It was insane. They went into overtime and one kid was the reigning state champ and the other was ranked nationally....

In spite of winter sports getting cancelled, Senior Ashley Iscoa is still dreaming of her senior night, walking down with a parent and her poster. Although she grew up playing soccer and volleyball, Iscoa didn’t expect to grow a passion for indoor track.  “My first thought when I found out the season was cancelled was just ‘Wow. I seriously don’t get to have my last year of indoor track.’ I already pictured the senior night. I’m a person where [when I] start something, I like to finish...

Last year, senior Jonas Miller had the unique role of being the team manager for the indoor track team. As team manager, Miller helped people with their events while doing the chores that other teammates didn’t have time to do. While the job wasn’t challenging for Miller, one aspect of it stuck out during that time: communication, something he learned quickly from his first days on the track team as a freshman.  “The position of team manager didn't give me any challenges. It was a pretty...

When fall sports were cancelled because of COVID-19, athletes looked to their upcoming winter season with hope. They would finally be able to get back to the sports they left behind; however, winter sports were cancelled as a result of spikes in COVID cases. Due to this reality, athletes such as senior David Beck had an abrupt end to their season without knowing it. Beck has ran since middle school and has made it a goal to improve, even if that meant giving up on soccer.  “I ran cross country...

Q: How long have you been doing gymnastics and why did you decide to start? A: I’ve been doing gymnastics ever since I was three or four years old. I started because my mom [saw] me doing somersaults and flipping over on the couch, and she was like, “I just need to put her in gymnastics.” Q: How have you grown since you first joined the team? A: I’ve definitely grown as a leader because I’m now one of the captains. I was captain last year and also this year. It’s definitely helped...

Q: What was your favorite memory from the swim team? A: My favorite memory from the swim team would have to be regionals last year because I swam pretty well for my event and we just had a lot of fun with the team that day. After the meet was over, [my team along with a couple other teams] chilled in the locker room and listened to music and had a good time together. Q: Who had the greatest impact for you on the team? A: I would say Ritt Culbreth, the captain on our team last year, had the...

For senior Lare Jalal, gymnastics was always with her. While growing up in New Jersey and Kurdistan, she was very intrigued by the sport. When she moved to Virginia, she stopped doing gymnastics because finding a training facility was difficult at the time. When her friend senior Chloe Nichols encouraged her to join the HHS gymnastics team during their sophomore year, Jalal took the opportunity and joined.  Growing up, Jalal learned a lot of her skills independently. Having never formally worked...