FOLIO
Words and photos by Lorelei Belanger
It’s no secret Jacksonville is proud of its sports teams, being home to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Jacksonville Icemen, and the Jacksonville Sharks. The sports pride doesn’t end with the pro teams, as many record holding high schoolers call Northeast Florida home.
Winston YMCA hosted High School Fall Media Day, an event celebrating athletes from high schools in the area, offering the young standouts an opportunity to be recognized outside of their school or sport and gain experience with media interaction.
Athletes from various sports at local schools were present, each having been selected by their school to represent their sport. These young athletes are outstanding in their sports, from wrestling to football.It’s a big achievement to make a team, participate in a sport and balance school, and these athletes have proven their dedication to their teams and sports.
I spoke with a few of the young athletes and asked about their struggles, experience and accomplishments in their sport. For some, their dedication to their sport started well before high school, while others began their sports in high school, not expecting to have such strong motivation and accomplish so much in a sport they started for fun.
Piper Edwins (Atlantic Coast High School, soccer): “I have been playing since I was 3, one of my biggest accomplishments is that I haven’t stopped playing, I just kept going.”
Addison Sharp (Wolfson High School, cross country and track and field): “I have been running for four years, I started my freshman year. I needed a sport to stay in shape during the off season for soccer and I started running, I loved it and ended up quitting soccer. Some of my biggest accomplishments have been winning the Gateway Conference meet as a sophomore, placing second my junior year, qualified for states individually and our team qualified for states for the first time in a long time.”
Taliah Brooks (Atlantic Coast High School, soccer): “I have been playing since I was 4, so for 13 years. My mom put me in soccer, and as she was going to take me out, my coach said she really should keep me in. My biggest accomplishment is my commitment to the University of Memphis.”
Mallory Howell (Wolfson High School, swimming and diving): “I started swimming in seventh grade. I just started diving also and I really love it. Some of my biggest accomplishments are being captain of my team this year and having been to regionals three times. My goal is to make it to states this year.”
Standing out isn’t as glamorous as it seems. Many struggles come with being in the spotlight … countless hours spent, stress endured and injuries sustained make it hard for a young athlete, trying to stay serious about their sport while still being a teenager.
Edwins: “It was hard having to be at games or practices when I could be hanging out with my friends.”
Sharp: “It has been hard to balance school, being in the IB (International Baccalaureate) program, running and having a lot of hard classes. It’s also hard to go from practice for two hours to school after.”
Brooks: “The biggest struggle has been missing out on things outside of soccer, like missing my brother’s baseball games.”
Howell: “A big struggle is balancing school work, being in the IB program: It’s difficult to balance schedules. I always have some sort of injury, so it’s been hard learning how to take care of injuries while focusing on school.”
All four athletes said they average about 10-12 hours per week practicing or competing in their sport. It can be extremely difficult to balance so many hours of practice, other extracurriculars, schoolwork, especially IB classes, on top of social events and family time. Being able to balance all of these things while still winning games, meets and committing to colleges are what makes these athletes stand out. By continuing to focus on teamwork, balance and dedication, there’s no doubt these athletes, along with others attending the fall sports media day, will continue to be in the spotlight in their sports.
Follow FOLIO!