When they decided that they were going to be two sport varsity athletes; their whole perspective on athletics changed.  Seeing as though they had the responsibilities of two separate athletes with the time, work, and energy that they put into their craft every single day this is a huge responsibility. 

Lauren Drexler, a junior who plays on both the varsity basketball and the softball team has learned many things from her years of experience in the best of both athletic worlds. 

Hannah Evenson, a junior who plays on both the varsity volleyball and tennis teams, has gone through many experiences during high school athletics. Playing volleyball since 5th grade and tennis since her sophomore year, Evenson has put both time and dedication into the sports she loves. 

As of now, it is the winter sports season. Lauren is playing basketball and Hannah is getting a bit of a break from high school athletics. 

Whether it is the thought of competition or striving for sectional titles, both girls are dedicated and more driven than ever to reach their goals. 

Drexler said, “I am most excited about playing and striving to win sectionals this season. This is a short term goal for the team.” 

Evenson said, “I am most excited for having fun, and growing closer and spending more time with my teammates.”

Being a multiple sport athlete has many struggles. Whether they face struggles in the classroom or within themselves, these athletes are excited to grow better. Other struggles typically associated with two-sport athletes are not having enough free time. Free time or 

Drexler said, “Sometimes I need to take a step back and give my body a time to rest in between the two sports.” 

Evenson said, “I run into the challenge of keeping up with my school work and grades, and keeping school first. Dealing with school work and the two sports really keeps me busy and it definitely gets hard on some days.”

Although there can be struggles with being a two sport varsity athlete, Drexler and Evenson can both agree that there is much to learn when it comes to juggling multiple sports. 

Drexler said, “Each team you get to play has a different dynamic that you have to work around. Not everyone has the same personalities so it’s hard to find a balance sometimes and it forces you to make connections.”

Evenson said, “I am learning a lot of time management from playing multiple sports. I have to manage homework and studying while still having to go to a game or practice.”

When deciding whether or not to participate in high school athletics both girls knew that athletics was something they wanted to pursue without a doubt. 

Drexler said, “I’ve just been playing my whole life. I felt like I should just continue to play sports and if I didn’t enjoy them, I could find something else to participate in.” She continued, “I didn’t really choose to play sports, I just ended up playing a sport. My parents always push me to be the kid that wasn’t afraid to try new things so that’s how I was able to find the love for the sports I play.”

Evenson said, “I wanted to play volleyball in high school because I enjoy the sport and wanted to continue playing at the high school level. I then decided to play tennis as a fun sport to keep me active in the spring.” 

To continue to see Lauren’s success on the basketball court, you can come out and support the team. The basketball team’s next game is on Friday December 17th at Lake Station Edison at 7 PM. To see Lauren on the softball field, that will have to wait a few months but you can look for #99 on the field. 

To continue to see Hannah’s success on the tennis court, you will have to wait a couple months. To see Hannah on the volleyball court, it’ll have to wait until the 2022 school year, although keep your eyes open for #1 on the volleyball court.