Cover photo by Lori O’Neill (Talon Archives)
Transitioning into high school can be overwhelming as you find your place in a new environment. A great way to make this process easier is by joining high school sports. To discuss the many benefits of joining a sports team, we contacted David Mitkov, a captain of the wrestling team, with some questions about his experience.
Relationships: Joining a team allows you to meet new people, including upperclassmen who can mentor and advise you. Mitkov said that he and the other upperclassmen on the team “do our best to encourage anyone new who joins.” When learning new skills, he added, “we tell everyone who has experience to find someone new to practice with so everyone has the opportunity to learn new moves and get better.”
Mitkov also thinks that wrestling has improved his social skills. “I wasn’t a very social person when I joined,” he said, “but now I have a lot of friends on the wrestling team… Everyone on the team is supportive of one another, and we talk and hang out a lot.” Shared challenges will help you bond with your new teammates at practices and games, making strong connections that last away from the field or court.
Life skills: Sports teach discipline, resilience, and a strong work ethic. Training and competing on a regular basis teaches you to establish goals and work to achieve them. Mitkov advised, “If you put your best effort in, you will see results. One of the best feelings in life is when you commit to something hard and succeed.”
These skills carry over into the rest of your life—your academics and personal development. You’ll learn to take wins and losses and that progress requires dedication. Mitkov pointed out that freshmen have the opportunity to compete in junior varsity brackets almost every match, allowing newcomers to quickly get used to playing in tournaments. “I won 4 JV matches out of almost 30 my freshman year, and I placed 8th in the state during my junior year,” Mitkov said. “Even if you don’t do well in JV matches, it isn’t a big deal… if you show up to practice and commit to it, you’ll have a great time.”
Besides, sports keep you physically fit, take stress off your mind, and improve focus on work—all essential during the busy school year. “Anyone who wants to join absolutely should,” concluded Mitkov, whose experiences show that the benefits of joining a team go much deeper than the sport itself: it’s about growing as an individual, making lifelong connections, and setting yourself up for success in high school and beyond.