Baseball captains bring childhood joy to team

SHEFALI MEAGHER STAFF WRITER

The new spring sun was shining bright on the green field as the Spartan baseball team gathered for their after-school practice.

Captains John Christakos, Griffin Schwab-Mahoney, and Tommy Verhey have gathered their skill and leadership from their many years of experience. The captains all started with T-ball when they were younger and then moved to baseball. Many of their friends and family members were also into the sport.

“My older brother played, [...] I always wanted to be like him,” Verhey said.

At the heart of the team is their coach, Rob

Thompson, who is a mentor and a source of inspiration to his players.

“[He’s] very into baseball, which makes it a lot of fun, because he knows what he’s talking about which is nice,” Verhey said.

The team has a mix of seasoned players and new talent, but despite the age and skill gap, the team is still an extremely close group. The majority of the team this year is made up of freshmen, but ninth grader James Welsh said: “Everyone is getting the same opportunities.”

Still, there’s always one constant in the sport: failure.

“Baseball is a sport in which the players are going to fail a lot […] baseball taught me at an ear- members to borrow. “A lot of people don’t have clubs, [...] they are also expensive, so providing for that would be some thing we can improve,” Leatham said. ly age, how to overcome [failure],” Christakos said. son is about more than just the score. It’s about the bonds they form, the lessons they learn, and the challenges they con quer.

25 at 4 p.m. against Blake.

The next varsity game is Apr. 29 at 10 a.m. against Saint Thomas Academy at their field.

Inclusivity on the green is the ultimate play for golf

Boys golf welcomes players with open arms and fosters a supportive community.

Colton Werner appreciates the diversity of skill.

High school can be a challenging time for many students, but for those who are passionate about sports, joining a team can make a world of difference.

The athletes on the team come from diverse backgrounds and skill levels but are united in their commitment to improving their game.

Assistant Coach

“It’s been great to see people who have never golfed before start from the bottom and build their skill,” Werner said.

Peltier feels the team’s commitment to inclusivity and welcoming new players has contributed to this growth. “We treat the entire group of boys golfers as one program regardless of skill level. Everyone has equal opportunities to practice and get better from our great coaches,” he said.

Ollie Bisanz’s favorite part of Golf is the community: “The team, the