Although the school year is progressively getting more stressful now that it’s springtime, there are certain aspects of this time of year that might bring the athletes of Oakton some joy. The spring sports season is beginning to take off. A few sports that will be offered this year include baseball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and tennis. For those who have never tried these sports before but might be interested, green days are a great place to start. Green days are mock practice days, which serve as great opportunities to meet the coaches and experience what a regular practice would be like. This is additionally a great way to tell whether or not one might be interested in playing this sport for or outside of school. Green days typically take place during the sport’s off-season so there may not be as many available for upcoming spring sports. Although the first-hand experience is the most ideal way to decide an interest, reading about the topic can prove to be helpful as well.

Traces of baseball first started appearing in the mid-1840s. Here at Oakton, it has been played since the school was built in 1976. Currently, our head coach is Justin Janis who has been coaching at Oakton for 12 years. The team practices nearly every day and last year had games on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In addition to Baseball Oakton also offers softball. In 2017 the softball team’s record was 4 wins to 16 losses and their head coach is Brandon McCulla. Baseball and softball help promote sportsmanship and require a good amount of hand-eye coordination, like lacrosse. Lacrosse originated sometime around the 1630s, but unlike then, Oakton offers this sport for boys and girls. Last year the girl’s varsity team had a record of 9 wins and 5 losses and also made it to regionals. In addition, the boy’s varsity team had a record of 15 wins and 3 losses and made it to state semifinals. This sport is a great way to build stamina and allows players to be more aggressive, but safe, than most sports. Another sport offered at Oakton is girl’s and boy’s JV and varsity soccer. Last year, the girl’s varsity team had a record of 7 wins, 4 ties, and 3 losses. The boy’s team last year had a record of 16 wins, 2 losses, and additionally made it to state quarterfinals. Soccer also builds lots of endurance and is very fast paced, it requires a quick-thinking mind and lots of focus. Lastly, although their usual practice area has been taken up by trailers for the past few years, Oakton offers both boy’s and girl’s tennis. The boy’s head coach is Betsy Tyskowski and for girls, it’s Mary Ellen Giuseppe. Last year, the boy’s record was 16 wins and 1 loss, they also made it to semifinals. Tennis is a sport that requires a lot of aerobic ability but it also helps increase reaction times.

Overall, playing a high school sport helps build connections and increases athletic ability. At Oakton, it also builds a sense of community. It is highly encouraged by numerous teacher and other athletes to engage in this community and those at Oakton who have in the past believe that it helped them power through the stress of school.