By Johnny Kirlangitis  

Going from middle school to high school can be a tremendous change for most students, and it is an even bigger transition for athletes, as high school and middle school sports are vastly different. 

One key difference between middle and high school sports is the level of seriousness. In an interview freshmen volleyball player, Illionna Kirlangitis said, “Something I miss most about middle school sports is messing around at practice because you don’t mess around in high school practice.”  

Others explained that it can be particularly challenging playing a high s-

chool sport. Mainly because of the difference in age between a freshman and a senior. A freshmen student could be 14 years old while a senior could be 18 years old. In an interview freshman soccer player, Lorenzo Liberto explained, “The upperclassmen tend to

have more experience than us, they are usually better so when we scrimmage them, they beat us.”  

Most of the freshmen students seem to face the same challenge, strength, speed, and experience. Freshman soccer player, Dawson Evans stated,“They have more experience and sometimes, or almost always bigger and stronger”  

Many freshmen asserted that one of the best things about high school sports is the lifelong friendships you create with your teamm-

ates. 

Freshman soccer player Kalen Kuhns said, “Being able to play with my friends and being with upperclassmen is one of my favorite things about playin-

g a high school sport”  

Some of the other freshmen had a similar response to Kuhns. Freshman volleyball player, Amalia Kirlangitis explained, “Even though the upperclassmen tease us a lot of the time, they have become some of my best friends and I’m so grateful for the friendships I have made.” 

Other freshmen class members had a lot to say about their relationships with their teammates.  

Hopefully, the freshmen class has been enjoying their time here at weir high and continue to participate in extra curriculars in future years. So far though, they are having a wonderful experience.